Author: tweedandcompany

After celebrating their 10th anniversary season in 2018, Tweed & Company Theatre is thrilled to be back in action in Hastings County in 2019, with a solid slate of events running from February to December. This season will feature 8 professional Canadian Theatrical productions, with some musical workshops and new play readings thrown in between. As this small but mighty company steadily grows, they continue to add to their exciting programming, but also frequently return some of their past favourites. This season, that includes their return to the ever popular Tweed Winter Carnival, where they will be hosting two exciting new programs, SWORDPLAY! A Play of Swords, and THE SUPERHERO EXTRAVAGANZA, a huge superhero party for the little ones.

“The company almost doubled in size and attendance last season, and we are thrilled to continue bringing new and exciting productions to the region for an ever growing audience,” says Artistic Director Tim Porter, “this season is one of the most anticipated yet, with lots of exciting new stuff, and some of my favourite performances coming to Tweed for the first time.“ Tweed & Company has built a reputation of quality original theatrical productions, and that reputation precedes them, bringing in over 2000 tourism patrons to the small town of Tweed last season, more than the population of the town itself. They are hoping for an even stronger attendance this year, as they continue to grow their offerings and work on their next major musical…whatever that may be. “We have established a process of taking some time to write and workshop new musicals, and then doing smaller presentations to see what works, followed by major future productions for the shows that we believe in.” Says Artistic Producer Tricia Black, currently appearing in Second City Toronto’s She The People. “This year we are building on that workshop process by adding our new in development program, and have started working on a couple new productions that we are very excited about, to premiere next year or the year after. 2019 is going to be an incredible year, and we are so excited to show you everything we have been working on.”

First up in the 2019 season is SWORDPLAY! This show is an established production created by Toronto sketch Comedy Troupe Sex-T-Rex, and the show is preceded by a list of reviews and accolades as long as the highway from Toronto to Tweed. Winner of the Just for Laughs Best Comedy Award, and the Atlantic Fringe Best Comedy Award, the show is just over an hour of pure comedy, blasting us all back to the Princess Bride, pixelated video games and Monty Python-esque comedy, with a bit of Game of Thrones and current reference thrown in. “I saw this show in 2015 at the Toronto Fringe, where we were also playing our production of STALKYARD HURTS, and I absolutely fell in love with it,” says Porter, “I remember being totally star struck when I saw the cast in the beer tent later, the show had that much of an affect on me, and I knew I wanted to bring it to Tweed, and give other people the opportunity to share in this hilarious and exciting theatrical production.” SWORDPLAY! plays for two performances only on Saturday, February 16th, at 3 PM and 7 PM at the Tweed Elementary School, 52 McClellan St in Tweed.

Also playing during the upcoming carnival is a new take on last year’s over sold event The Princess Ball, this year taking the form of THE SUPERHERO EXTRAVAGANZA! Tweed & Co invite you and your little ones to join Spiderman, Super Girl and Wonder Woman for two hours of play, entertainment, and super duper superhero fun! Similar to last year this event will include a bouncy castle, face painting with the superheroes, cookie decorating, and colouring station, and will be capped off with a 20 minute superhero musical play! New this year will be a photo station, piñata party, and additional games and activities for the kids. This event will also take place at the Tweed Elementary School, and due to the additional space available there, it is only required that you pay for the children attending, adults do not need a ticket. THE SUPERHERO EXTRAVAGANZA will take place from 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday, February 17th. It is recommended that you book early, as last years event entirely sold out in advance.

With an exciting season of over 8 productions, we can’t wait to see what else is in store for Tweed & Co in 2019. Events this year will take place at venues across the municipality of Tweed, including the company’s return to the Marble Arts Centre, some events back at the Tweed Pavilion, and new this year, a dinner theatre production at Stoco Lake Lodge. There’s a little something for everyone is this 2019 season, and with over half of last years events entirely selling out, it’s probably a good idea to get your tickets for all of these shows early to avoid disappointment.

Quotes from past productions of SWORDPLAY are too extensive to list, but we’ll leave you with one of our favourites from My Entertainment World in Toronto: ““It doesn’t get any better than this, folks! Part videogame homage, part Princess Bride…inspired, imaginative, and first-rate theatrical magic!” Book your tickets today, and we’ll see you there!

Well, the reviews are in again for one of our most popular productions, and ALECK BELL continues to be a crowd pleaser, once again becoming our highest attended production to date! ALECK BELL recently played the Tweed Pavilion for 10 performances, and with an incredible cast, amazing new sound system, beautiful new set and costumes, and a fully revitalized staging, this musical has once again become a crowd favourite, and proven itself a Canadian Musical for the ages! Read on below to see what audiences and press had to say about ALECK BELL, and get excited for our new 2019 season of Canadian Theatre to be announced soon!

“The performances last night were amazing!! I need to see it again and again!!”

-Lynda Van Will

“ALECK BELL opened last night to sold out house at the Kiwanis Pavilion- it’s on til the 29th – don’t miss another original Canadian musical by Tweed & Company Theatre! Verdict: Top-notch acting by an ensemble cast, new take on the invention of the telephone, and great Canadian pop / rock hits! Don’t miss this show!”

-Vicki McCulloch

“The opening show was AMAZING by the way!!!!!”

-Shannon, Tweed News

“Went to opening night. The show was great. Lots of laughs and great music. Job well done Tim and all the cast.Get your tickets. You won’t be disappointed”

-Linda Holmes

“Wonderful performance tonight! I saw it again – even better the second time around! Noticed subtle details in costumes, staging, dialogue and story line. Sound seemed even better! Coming again next Wednesday for the Arts Council fundraiser! Well done, Tweed & Company! I have seen Aleck Bell twice now – it’s a great show, look forward to seeing the crew at the Summit!”

-Vicki McCulloch

“Excellent!!”

-Elaine Aileen Vannest

“Fantastic show…”

-Marlene Boomhower

“Great show. Well done.”

-Lawrence Bennett

“Fanastic show.Congratulations Tweed and Co. , a fanastic evening with a wonderful group of people…..what a fabulous show……..so much talent……thank you Don and Chuck for sponsoring the after party. Tim , last night was totally amazing…..the crew were fanastic and performed well together……the post party was fanastic ….thank you for everything you and crew do for our community.”

-Tammy Austin

“Great show”

-Will Austin

“Great show and great pics.”

-Jane Porter

“This is one of the best shows that Tweed and company has to offer. They are such a talented group who continue to amaze the audience from start to finish in all that they do. Thank you Tim Porter for bringing live theatre to Tweed.”

-Lisa Lesage

“Great show!”

-Melissa MacDonald

“Amazing show!”

-Karen Coles

“An amazing performance tonight! Thank you all….”

-Kathy Scott

“You were amazing. What a great opening night.”

-Joanne Albert

“You were amazing!”

-Karen Fischer

“Great pics, after a spectacular show. They took a piece of history, brought it into 2018 and made it so everyone understood it yeaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!”

-Nancy A Burton

“It was wonderful! I can’t wait to see it again next week!”

-Tristan Haynes Lindsay

“Great performance, loved it!”

-Janet Bryan

“Great performance! Truly enjoyed every minute, highly recommend”

-Cathie Fotheringham

5 Stars

“Aleck Bell… if history was taught like that I may have done better in school, amazing show!!!!”

-Joe Rashotte

“In their 10th year Tweed & Co. Theatre’s opening night for “Aleck Bell” was a resounding success! The show last night was terrific! The multi-talented cast and musical score were outstanding. If you have seen this show with Tweed & Co. before….it has been totally updated and changed. Well worth seeing again!! Thanks to Tim Porter, the Artistic Director for bringing us this show and cast.”

-Lorraine Gibson-Alcock

“The Kiwanis Pavilion got a new paint job this summer, just in time for the Tweed & Company Theatre production of Aleck Bell, playing until September 29th. We are happy to sponsor the student matinees, supporting arts and culture for local youth. This is a great production, don’t miss it!”

-Kiwanis Club of Tweed

“Show was amazing and thank you to the Kiwanis for supporting our youth and Tweed and Company Theatre.”

-Don DeGenova

“A fantastic show, not to be missed. You are gonna love it!”

-Melissa MacDonald

“The show tonight….It’s another level.The moments, choreography, line delivery, etc is incredible.I’ve cried like 8 time.And I’m falling in love with all of them.I’m hooked on Aleck Bell.Last Night’s Show was beautiful.”

-Julie Kevan

“They’re back and they have done it again…another breathtaking Original Canadian Musical with Aleck Bell! Well I have seen Aleck Bell twice…..a sold out crowd on opening night and an intimate group last night….loved it so much bought tickets for closing night on September 29. And tonight is another sold out performance. Tweed and Company have reworked the already amazing Aleck Bell into an even more spectacular original Canadian musical. This production follows the life of Alexander Graham Bell from his youth to his passing with all of the highs and lows in between. It is a stunning production following on this year’s very successful run of Hastings the Musical viewed by over 2000 theatre lovers. The Aleck Bell cast is made up of some of our favorite actors who continue to take the stage by storm with song, dance, comedy and a stunning array of musical instruments. Welcome home Danielle Leger, James R. King, Mike Lee and Mark Lesage …. you continue to take us on magical historical journeys with songs that leave us humming the whole day long. We are also thrilled for the new additions like Stephen Ingram who plays young Aleck Bell…incredible acting and a voice that will capture your soul; Cassie-hope Aubin who will blow you away with her ability to sing so beautifully and wonderful acting playing the deaf wife of Aleck Bell who herself is also deaf; Sarah Nairne, Daniel Williston, and Aiden Desalaiz….phenomenal talent we hope to see grace our stage again and again and again. Your chilling voices leave us begging for more. The entire cast benefited from the very talented Stephan Dickson who choreographed the entire production; Amy Marie Wallace who not only designed but stitched all the beautiful period costumes; and Kaitlyn Mackinnon for working your magic on the sound system. Thank you Tim Porter, Joel MacMeekin, Emily Mewett, Tricia Black and your cast for yet another incredible Canadian musical production. A special thank you to Daniel Williston for your creative genius with this production. You all continue to touch our lives in so many wonderful ways.”

-Don DeGenova

“I attended the Aleck Bell musical last night as part of the Tweed & Area Heritage Centre fundraiser. It was a great performance with non-stop action from start to finish.”

-George Logan

“We went last night!! Absolutely wonderful!! A must see!!”

-Tammy Meeks

“Best show yet!!!”

-Fran Wilson

“We saw the original 7 years ago, saw the new one Saturday afternoon and loved it. Congratulations to the cast and crew for our 2nd encounter with Tweed and Co this summer (saw Hastings in Perth). You are so talented and entertaining. Keep it coming.”

-Pamela Brown Maxwell

“You will not be disappointed! It was AMAZING!”

-Adele McMurtry Bowness

“Totally an amazing story line. Great music & good actors. If you find the time, so worth it!”

-Lynne Kamink- Buell

“My mom and I went this afternoon. Amazing show. Very entertaining. We loved it.”

-Lori Snutch

“This was a great production. Impressive talent”

-Margaret Flynn

“Boy did that show ever blow your socks off!!! What a great, high energy, fun, well done, interesting, well casted…………. show! You should be so proud of the whole group they are wonderful. We all enjoyed the show and the venue – what fun to have the show right there in front of you. It was great to see Dan, James and Cassie too.I saw your show when it was here in Brockville many years ago – this show is so different, but gives the same history lesson. The music and acting in this show is so POP ROCK, but made it fun. It is very obvious that the cast is enjoying their ‘work’. James has a fabulous voice and we enjoyed his acting as well. The girl who played Mary, Aleck’s mother and many more parts was a hoot – we enjoyed her antics. ALL the actors were great. The SLC students really enjoyed the play and the opportunity to talk to the whole cast after was amazing. They just sat there and listened and asked some very good questions. Thank you for arranging that – what a bonus for the trip. Congrats on this show and much success with all your endeavours in the future.”

-Joan Sponagle

“Saw Aleck Bell Friday night, great show! You don’t want to miss it!”

-Mike Bossio

“My friend Caroline Maria and I had such an awesome day, today, and this evening, we so thoroughly enjoyed this production!!!!”

-Charmaine Gagnon

“Hi Tim, saw the show yesterday afternoon. Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the performance. The story was great. The music was great. You always get so many talented people. Really, Really enjoyed the show. Please pass on our compliments to the cast and crew.”

-Linda Yorke

“My husband and I saw the show on Friday night and Wow! Just Wow! It was absolutely fantastic. I was so impressed by this ultra talented cast and the use of such a unique venue. I felt as if we were riding the train with you. Great story, wonderful musicians with fabulous voices. Such an uplifting show. I’ve recommended it on my facebook page and hope the rest of your performances are sell-outs! Thank you for such an amazing evening!”

-Laurie Snider

“Really enjoyed this production. Amazing – and I mean AMAZING talent! Such high energy. I learned a lot about Alexander Graham Bell that I didn’t know!”

-Beth Anne Power

“Saw the show yesterday afternoon. Loved it. Great story, Great music. Very proud of the Tweed & Company Theatre production. It’s amazing what we have in our backyard.”

-Linda D Yorke

“We were there yesterday if you haven’t been please go it was an excellent production.”

“The rich historical account, paired with a comedic and dramatic cast, along with the fun of live theatre and the invigorating sounds of good ol’ rock n’ roll made for an entertaining and memorable evening in Tweed.”

-Tweed News

“I have seen it twice. It is an amazing production!!!”

-Lynda Van Will

“You guys are truly awesome”

-Karen Fischer

“I had a great time the other night! We all did. It was such a great show. Congrats again to all on its’ success.”

-Julie Mulligan, Ontario’s Highlands

“They loved it. Nicole Black says the students want to do a musical for Christmas because of you.”

-Wendy Hay, Principal, St. Carthagh

“Awesome show and amazing talent!!”

-Bonnie Coutts

“This is a hilarious night out – soooo well done and it’s local!!! You cannot beat the price. Only a few performances left!”

-Anne-Marie Murphy

“@TweedandCompany Aleck Bell was amazing last night. One of the best shows you’ve done so far. I look forward to seeing many more of your presentations in the future. Where can I buy a mug?”

-@Garence

“What a show! You don’t want to miss this! Only TWO shows left!”

-Belleville Theatre Guild

“Definitely worth the short drive to Tweed! 2 shows left on Saturday- Friday night is the Dark Night Cabaret- also a great night of entertainment”

-tweedareaarts

“You will not be disappointed- go to this show!”

-vmtweed

“Fantastic show!! What incredible talent!!”

-Sally McMechan

“I have had the absolute pleasure to be involved with Tweed & Co starting in June 2018 at the Teeny Tiny summit in Tweed, followed by Hastings! The Musical in Belleville in August, and Aleck Bell and the Dark Night Cabaret in Tweed in September. The casting is superb, the stories are relevant, captivating, and well-written and composed, and what I love the most is how each member is cast in roles that capture their individual strengths and talents perfectly, and every one absolutely shines in each performance.And everyone on the team (not just those on the stage) are truly respected for the talents they bring to every production. The caring is palpable which is a beautiful thing to see. Not only have you created a life-long fan and supporter, but you have captured my heart. Thank you for sharing your incredible gifts!”

-Karen Fischer, OMAFRA

“Saw the matinee last Saturday. Excellent!!! I was really impressed. The company has so much talent – an incredible mix of joy and darkness. May well be the best stage work I’ve seen all year. Reviving hits and keeping working on material is a great model for creative theatre. I had my own company in Montreal for a decade, and really regretted we weren’t able to bring shows back.Regards and once again, a loud BRAVO!Really hope you can get that work into more theatres.”

-Marianne Ackerman, Playwright

“I wanted to speak to you at the show Tim to tell you how much I enjoyed it and congratulate you on the sound quality. I heard every word! I also saw the show one afternoon with my granddaughter’s class and they too enjoyed it. Well done again!”

Well, we’re a couple months behind…(Our 10th anniversary season has been BY FAR our busiest yet) but we thought it was high time to post some of the incredible reviews we received for our recent touring production of HASTINGS! The Musical! This show played at the Village Playhouse in Bancroft, the Studio Theatre in Perth, and the Empire Theatre in Belleville to SOLD OUT houses, standing ovations, and rave reviews across the board! Read on below for some of the incredible press and word of mouth from this summer’s production, and stay tuned for more to come from HASTINGS! The Musical!

HASTINGS! ON TOUR 2018 REVIEWS:

“If you want to know what joy looks like – this show is it.”

-Barbara Shaw, Now Plan B

“Totally enjoyed opening night of Hastings the Musical at the Village Playhouse. Very energetic, humorous and touching performance depicting our local history. Hurry and pick up your tickets, you won’t want to miss this.”

–Mary Kavanaugh, North Hastings Heritage

“Thanks!Fabulous show!!I really enjoyed it!”

–Kathy Figueroa

“Congratulations. My friend and I enjoyed the play. Your hard work paid off. Here’s to a great run.”

-Roy Mitchell

“FRIENDS. I finally got to see Tweed & Company Theatre’s Hastings! The Musical Belleville and it was amazing!!!!!! Congrats Tim Porter, James R. King, and company! Happy Opening!!! HASTINGS! Is so good!Go see it!”

–Emily Maxwell

“How did opening night go for HASTINGS! The Musical?There were pirates, papers, ghosts, giggles, dancing, singing, love, harmony, humour and the packed house started their standing ovation before the finale even finished.Shows continue through August 11th.This is a HIT!”

-The Village Playhouse, Bancroft

“Just got to witness one of the most fantastic musicals that you’re ever gonna see anywhere.I’ve seen it more than once, and I tell ya, anyone who hasn’t seen it, you are going to be absolutely wowed by this musical.Locally written, produced and performed, it really is a fantastic show, you’re going to love it love it love it.“

–Mike Bossio, MP, Hastings-Lennox & Addington

“Awesome!I saw it last year as well, and I just couldn’t wait for it to open in Bancroft tonight, and I’ll probably be back again before the end of the run.Come on out and fill the playhouse, it’s a wonderful show, and Hospice is something we all have to support, so let’s pack the theatre every night for the rest of the run.”

–Vivian Bloom, Mayor

“We thought we had experienced everything this show has to offer, but even after seeing it six times in Tweed last summer, we fell in love all over again!The addition of Danielle Leger and Jessica Wilson to this already fantastically talented cast makes it fresh and funny in a whole new way! Love, love, love! We were singing all the way home. There’s gold in this show and its never getting old! We can’t wait to see it again in Perth and Belleville!”

-Mike Berwick and Melissa MacDonald

“I got to see the show last night and I could hardly sleep afterwards. The music was great, the stories hilarious and dramatic and the standing ovation started before the finale was done. It is an amazing show. And insider tip – we’ve had great pre-sales and today has been crazy so if you want to see this show – drop in to Vintage on Hastings and get some tickets soon!”

–Barbara Shaw, Now Plan B

“It was amazing!!”

–Margaret Blaser

“Saw it last night, it was awesome!”

–Annette Roy

“Awesome show people..don’t miss this one!!”

–Vivian Bloom, Mayor

“It was sooo awesome!Thank you so very much for blessing us with your gifts and talents!!My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed Hastings!!Very gifted cast!Outstanding”

–Tracy McGibbon

“It was wonderful!Thank you!”

–Karen Vance Brown

“It was a pleasure to be in the Town of Bancroft last night at The Village Playhouse to see Hastings the Musical by Tweed & Company Theatre! This locally written and produced show is on tour this year in Bancroft, Perth, and Belleville. Do yourselves a big favour and go see it.”

-Mike Bossio, MP, Hastings-Lennox & Addington

“An enjoyable evening. To add to it, when I was walking to the theatre, 2 of my customers were crossing Hastings St. on their way to the play. When I entered the theatre, 4 more of my customers were at the theatre already. For you to mention me and my company during the introduction of the evening meant a lot to me since those folks were in attendance.Then the most important part…the play was great. I enjoyed every minute of it.Hope the rest of your season goes well, and I look forward to being part of your 2019 season.”

-George Offshack, Limerick Lake Lodge

“You guys rocked ‘Hastings: The Musical!’ In Bancroft tonight!”

-Vicki McCulloch

“We really enjoyed the evening’s entertainment. It was fabulous darlings. The cast are so talented, truly a great performance.”

–David White

“Saw it tonight. Really fun. Loved the music.”

–Linda Brockley

“Have already seen this in Tweed and hoping to get myself tickets again to see it in town, loved this one!! Awesome young theatrical group.”

“That standing ovation was much deserved. Friends in Bancroft and Peterborough: you should definitely try to scoop up tickets to this musical. It’s got songs about *everything* — newspapers, feminism, political action, love…. “

-Ann Douglas, CBC radio, Canadian Author

“Great show”

–Barbara Northey

“Brilliant!Well done!”

-Ruth Arnold

“Hastings The Musical in Bancroft – AKA Date Night

Parenting is this funny thing. No one ever warns you how tough it will be. Everyone prepares you for the sleepless nights with newborns, and they warn of teething and colic. No one warns you about the sleepless nights as they get older. The worry about who their friends are, knowing that you can no longer dictate who their friends are. Those are the sleepless nights, the ones that you now know you will not outgrow unlike the teething. When the kids were little, we would dream of the days when they were old enough and independent enough that we could have date nights without having to pay a sitter. The kids are now old enough and independent enough to watch themselves, and their little sister. The problem lies now in that they are older and so independent that they have lives. Date nights do not happen as often as we would like, but that seems to make them all the more special. The rare times that we are able to indulge in date night, it is always worth it, and last night was no exception.

Last night Christopher and I traveled to the town of Bancroft, Ontario to see Hastings the Musical.

We had seen Hastings in it’s inaugural run at the Tweed Pavilion. It has been quite a privilege to watch Tweed and Company grow and just get better and better every single year. I am so proud to call Tim Porter a native of my home town, and to see him grow his fantastic vision of his theatre company. This season celebrates their 10th season, and this is quite an accomplishment. For those of you not in the know, this group of uber talented young performers not only performs plays, they write the scripts, original music, direct, create the sets and all of it original. They create a musical commentary on life in Canada.

We drove into Bancroft, not really knowing what to expect of the theatre. Bancroft is a picturesque town that explodes with cottagers during the summer months. The town itself boasts many cottage related quaint stores, and restaurants (although they can boast not one, but two Tim Hortons Coffee Shops). We pulled up to the theatre, and it looked like it had been transported from a rural mountain village in Germany or Switzerland. The bright red paint on the outside draws you in, and makes you want to explore.

On the porch as we entered we saw Tim. His face exploded into a massive smile of recognition. There is something to be said for that kind of a beautiful welcome. That familiar face, told me right then and there that we were in for a wonderful night. He politely left his conversation and came over to greet us with a big hug. Through the doors the bright red beckoned us forward, encouraged us to explore. My eyes danced around, trying to take everything in. We climbed up a narrow staircase, and I did not know what I would find as I climbed up to the top.

My jaw dropped as I came into the theatre. It was beautiful, like a warm retired rustic barn/ theatre. Stings of market lights, danced above us. It was beautiful, and I wanted to sit that little bit closer, love my husband just a little bit more. It was the setting you might expect to see in a romantic movie. That air of romance hung like a fragrance. We sat in anticipation of the play, but at the same time just happy to share the ambiance and each other’s company. As we sat, we were approached by a familiar face from the Tweed and Company (the people who don’t take the bows on stage, but who are integral part of making the company run). This warm, red haired lady asked if we could do a survey about our experience thus far, had we seen other performances? How likely would we come to see another Tweed and Company production? This one warm and welcoming team member told me (in actions not words)that The Tweed and Company Theatre had now outgrown their growing pains and were hungry for more growth. It struck me as such a smart and professional thing to do, conduct a survey. Don’t just assume that everyone thinks you’re great, work hard and be great!

As 7:30 drew near, I looked around the theatre. On opening night there were just a few empty seats. I felt a lump of pride in my throat. There were whispered conversations throughout the audience of people voicing their expectations. I sat an eavesdropped quietly, the pre-show buzz was good. The lights faded and an etherial blonde woman stood up at the front of the stage. She was personable and funny and introduced herself to the crowd, as Barb Shaw. She then went on to share with the audience what makes the theatre we were sitting in so much more impressive than I first thought. The Bancroft Village Playhouse is completely unique. It’s uniqueness comes not just from it’s appearance and charm, but in it’s internal beauty. The Bancroft Village Playhouse is a fundraising device for Hospice North Hastings. http://www.hospicenorthhastings.com

I dazzled at the stunning beauty of this theatre, the phrase “beautiful inside and out” comes to mind. On their website, Hospice North Hastings calls it “caring through culture”, and that is a beautiful notion. It subliminally confirms that hospice is not about dying, it’s about living and providing comfort. It is contributing to their community and allowing wonderful productions and movies to fill their cultural centre, all the while helping to ease suffering. It is such a beautiful arrangement.

For the next two hours I was transported back through history, the history of the place I call home. Again and again I was dumbstruck by the incredible talent of this cast. I say it almost every time I see a Tweed Theatre Company, but each and every cast member could easily hold their own in a Broadway production. As I watched I kept thinking “oh I must remember the name of this song so that I can point it out as my favourite”, the problem was that they were all my favourites. The set was beautiful and simple. The small amount of props did quadruple duty. To me The Tweed Theatre Company’s strongest talent is the vocal abilities that Tim picks out for his cast. The acoustics in the theatre were perfect and it felt like their voices drifted out from the stage and permeated into my very soul.

The production was so very much better this time around even from what I remembered it last year. The choreography, the set, the music, everything was better, more mature, better refined. The audience loved the production. Their clapping filled the theatre like thunder after each remarkable number. At first I wondered how they would ever be able to replace the role of Suzanna Moody that Tricia Black had made her own. How could anyone else find that same impeccable timing, that same huge stage presence, those where large shoes to fill. Danielle Leger apparently has exceptionally large feet, because those giant shoes that Tricia left behind appeared to have no wiggle room. The crowd only needed to see Danielle and began to chuckle and then erupt into great belly laughs, they could anticipate the punchline, and rolled with it.

The premise for the production is that of the ghosts of lovers who might have been but never were. It is a love story, but not just in the way that we think of romantic love stories. Hastings, is a love story about this place we live, about where Tim grew up. It is the love of our history and what a big part of our country’s history, our little rural community played. It is the love story of a small town boy who made his way into the world to pursue his dream of theatre. That small town boy put together a cast of talented fellow actors, who it is obvious over the ten year run have all become friends. It is the love of our country and making his mark on it’s theatre history. Hastings is a love story.

This week, go and do yourself a favour. Go, no matter the length of drive to Bancroft. Go early and look around that pretty town, bursting with transplanted holiday people. Go and feel yourself reeled in by that bright, happy, German looking building that is The Bancroft Village Playhouse. In this oppressive heatwave, go and enjoy the cool that draws you further into the red beauty. Spend that paltry $30 and be transported to the past. Drink in the homey atmosphere and delight in the simple yet brilliantly set for this play. Allow yourself to feel every single note of that beautifully crafted and impeccably executed music. Indulge in a glass of wine or beer (just one if you are driving). Feel blessed for this gift that you have. As your feel yourself coming back to your body at the end of this wonder performance, feel good about it. This is a tremendous gift that you have given not just to yourself. The gift to yourself is seeing this high caliber of performance in a beautiful rural setting, and have an indigent evening that didn’t break the bank. The second gift is the gift you have given to the Tweed and Company Theatre. Your support gives them not just financial gain, but it sends the message that their hundreds of hours of blood sweat and tears are worth every single second that they have lovingly given. It validates their pride in producing Canadian plays that are crafted by Canadians and for Canadians. Lastly you give the most beautiful gift to people that you may never know. You give the gift of love. You allow the dying dignity and those who love them permission to take a second to appreciate that loved one without the exhausting care for that person themselves. Giving to hospice is a beautiful gift that helps so many. Your beautiful evening out, that delightful glass of wine or beer, it all contributed to someone getting the palliative care that they very much need.

It is my favourite play that they have done to date

-Tristan Lindsay, The Next Chapter Blog

“Thoroughly enjoyed it! Great talents!”

–Marie Filipe

“Really enjoyed. Fantastic talent on stage. Would love to go again.”

–Gloria Mcalpine

“It really looks like the Tweed & Company Theatre has a real hit on their hands. Last summer, they launched a new original program HASTINGS! A NEW MUSICAL! to rave reviews and sold out houses. . Now they have taken the show on the road to regional theatres this month.

The show, written by the Tweed & Company Ensemble with the assistance of the Hastings County Historical Society, is an hilarious, foot stomping, irreverent retelling of the History of Hastings County. It features music from several up and coming and established Canadian composers, coming from the Stratford Festival, The Second City, Toronto, some of them originally from right here in Hastings County

There is an incredible cast of nine talented performers, all of whom also play the instruments and create a stunning live band on stage. The cast and production team includes cast and co-composers Rachel Babor and James King; cast and co-writer Joel MacMeekin; lead composer and co-writer Tricia Black; director and co-writer, Tim Porter; cast and costume designer Amy Marie Wallace; sound designer Kaitlyn MacKinnon; Emily Mewett, stage and production manager; composers Andre Morin and Trevor Patt; with cast members Michael Colin Jones, Mike Lee,

Danielle Leger, Mark Lesage and Jessica Wilson.

The beautiful rustic set, costumes, and unique and exciting staging complete this theatrical experience. Here are just a few samples of the reviews: “An extraordinary panorama of song, dance and Hastings County history”, Inside Quinte “Incredible, it deserves to be re-staged throughout Hastings County” ; the Central Hastings News; Ontario Highlands tourism calls it “A truly remarkable show! I would see it ten times over if I could”; “In short the show was simply fantastic”, The Tweed News; and the Hastings County Wanderer states “It was hands down the most memorable theatre performance I have seen to date. The Storytelling…The Musicianship… The Humour: I honestly have not laughed that hard in quite some time. So go, now, quickly.”

The show is currently playing at The Village Playhouse in Bancroft until tomorrow then travels to the Studio Theatre in Perth, August 14 and 15, and The Empire Theatre in Belleville August 17 and 18. Tickets are just $30 for Adults and $20 for students. There are matinee and evening performance at each venue.

Tweed & Company Theatre is a creator and producer of original Canadian musical theatre, as well as quality professional grassroots regional theatre. The company formerly known as IANA Theatre, has been around since the fall of 2009, and has produced four large scale original Canadian musicals, as well as countless other Canadian and international productions. Tweed & Company is based in Tweed, ON, but also produces in Toronto, and has toured its productions around the province.”

-Carol Feeney, Quinte Arts Council

“Wednesday night performance was fabulous! Still laughing and humming along. Well Done!!“

“Such talented musicians! very impressed.”

“I was thrilled to attend Thursday’s matinee. Hastings the musical is jam packed with incredibly talented performers. Very entertaining on all levels. You should go!”

“Opening night was amazing!”

“Totally enjoyed opening night of Hastings the Musical, at the Village Playhouse. Very energetic, humorous and touching performance depicting our local history. Hurry and pick up your tickets, you won’t want to miss this.”

“Hope you make an effort to see this at The Village Playhouse……quality performance, music , acting……what else can I say….it was fantastic!!!! In town for a limited time!”

“Get your tickets as you will miss a great show!!”

-Marcella

“Versatile and Multi-talented cast of professionals.”

–Marcia O’Hearn

“Last night’s performance of HASTINGS! The Musical was a real treat!Both Bri and I adore live theatre, so when we found out that we’d be attending a performance at the nearly 100 year old Bancroft Village Playhouse we were ecstatic. The Bancroft Village Playhouse is a staple in the community, and it’s a place that gives back to the community in a number of ways. It’s aligned with several initiatives to support the surrounding community, but, more bluntly, it’s also a beacon of culture, where the town (and others) can come to be taken to another world, or another time.

That’s precisely the case with Tweed and Company’s production of “Hastings: The Musical,” which has finished its run now, but was widely celebrated. The story, recounting the birth of Hastings County, was just downright fun to watch unfold, and the cast had an unmistakable connection on stage which just made you want to root for them. I’ll be honest, I’m not really someone whose first choice for a performance would be a musical, but I’d listen to these guys sing all day.At the end, a standing ovation was a foregone conclusion, and both Bri and I were happy to be a part of that deserved celebration.

I’d certainly be happy to go back to the Bancroft Village Playhouse for another performance, it’s an intimate venue that makes you feel like you’re a part of the show, rather than a bystander in the audience. I can’t imagine there’s a better spot to catch a show in all of the Ontario Highlands.”

-Christopher James Mitchell, travelingmitch

“Saw the show on our way home from the cottage and I hope to see you again!”

-Dobinson

“Your song about Hastings gave me chills.Voices are incredible, my wife and I cried!”

–heavens.c

“I saw the show on opening night and was blown away by how incredible the cast of @tweedandcompany was We are going to come again in Belleville. Wish you had more shows, any chance of extension? My brother in law from Kingston would love to see it. New Home was my favourite number along with the country song and Susanna Moodie. A job well done.”

–steven14102

“Bravo!!!”

–Donna LeClair

“Tonight I had the genuine pleasure of traveling to the beautifully rustic town of Bancroft to take in @tweedandcompany ‘s production of “Hastings: The Musical”. First and foremost- I have a deep respect for any person who performs theatre of any kind. It truly is the equivalent of walking a tight-rope. The intense focus, the energy expended, the blood, sweat and tears that are shed through hours upon hours of rehearsal…and then to perform without a chance for a re-take, without any editing; these guys and gals are artists of the highest calibre and that is certainly true for the cast of “Hastings: The Musical”.

Very briefly- the play brings to life through song, laughter and joy (and ale) various real life people and events that shaped the Hastings county and its towns that we know today. The actors all play various roles and adopt various accents (English, French, Irish, drunk) and not only do they all sing (and sing incredibly well!) they also perform the instruments! Guitar, violin, piano, you name it and they play these instruments flawlessly. What’s more, they play and sing while jumping off a table, hoping across chairs, even running into the aisleway. The entire house is transported back to a time when the living was tough, the people were tougher and the alcohol warmed all their souls. The 9 members of the cast each have their own moments to shine and they each pour their entire heart and soul into every note strummed, every word sung and every gesture expressed. You can’t help but be swept up by the sheer excitement, passion and joy that is exuded in the performance.

It is also absolutely hysterical! While some of the songs deal with heavy issues such as women’s rights and rebellion against the crown; the characters are so outlandish, so vivid, so ALIVE; and the lyrics are performed with just the right timing and nuance that’ll make you chuckle. And you never know what’ll happen, you may even receive a beer during the show! I did! It was so cool! The colourful characters, gorgeous harmonies, humour and heart will give you one of the best theatrical experiences you’ll ever have.”

–ry_guyyyy_

“It was a fabulous show! First class in every way. Don’t miss it if you can still get tickets.”

–Susan Latremoille

“Absolutely fabulous show. Hats off to Hospice North Hastings for bringing this great musical to Bancroft. Loved it!!!”

–Lynn Carlson Neuman

“Last night, Lillian & Gary were off to support live theatre and Hospice North Hastings in Bancroft. Tweed & Co. Theatre have brought their highly anticipated production of ‘Hastings The Musical’ north of 7. We thoroughly enjoyed the presentation, full of energy, humour and history, all brought to life by an incredible multi-talented cast. True, there was not a lot about ‘Old Hastings Mercantile’ in this offering, but perhaps a future consideration! Congratulations to all involved!”

–The Old Hastings Mercantile & Gallery

“It’s excellent! Go see it! The cast members are VERY talented.”

–Diana Sheridan

“Absolutely Incredible Show!! We are so happy that we had the opportunity to get to know a few of you personally. It was a privilege to have you stay in our home and to have witnessed such amazing talent from each and everyone of you!”

-Sarah and Darcy

“Went to see the final performance of Hastings The Musical in Bancroft on the weekend. What an amazing show, talented musicians and actors. The music is so memorable and engaging! You will find yourself singing along even though you’ve never heard the songs before! If you have any interest in the history of the area, or even if you don’t, go see the show! Made me want to come home and research all the characters that were portrayed in the show especially Susanna! Highly recommend the show!”

–Grace Bott

“So happy I attended Hastings the Musical in Perth last night to a near capacity full house. The audience loved the show …so enthusiastic…the standing O was incredible. So proud of these amazing entertainers. The next day at a local Perth cafe we overheard a group of woman talking about how excellent the production was only to hear similar stories at their Tourist Bureau.

Looking so forward to the Belleville premier this Friday at 7:30 at the Empire Theatre…are you sitting…over 300 tickets sold for opening night. Get your ticket and take in this truly captivating original Canadian Musical. Congrats Tim Porter, Amy Marie Wallace, James R. King, Rachel Babor, Mike Lee, Danielle Leger, Colin Jones, Mark Lesage, Joel MacMeekin, Emily Mewett new comer Jessica.”

-Don Degenova, Tweed Town Council

“Another full house- this one last night in Perth – for Hastings! The Musical…Belleville, here we come Aug 17-18! This show has really grown since last year, and is not to be missed…happy to hear super-positive buzz/feedback this am at both local cafe and Matheson House/visitor information centre”

-Vicki McCulloch

“The music, the harmonies, the Energy; and the versatility is unbelievable. Everyone is incredible.

I was immediately impressed when I walked in and saw the quality of the set. Unbealivable. “

-Lianna Kevan, Vocalist

“Theatre has never really been my thing. Until last night when I saw Hastings the Musical. I loved it! The music, the harmonies, the energy; and everyone playing the instruments is amazing. It was also hilarious! I had such a good time! The set is also gorgeous.Thank you.”

-Christina Kevan

“The play was great!”

-Max

“The Musical was AMAZING!! It ticked all the boxes: set, music, talent; and the best part was the HISTORY of the settlement of Hastings!! “

-Evelyn Morris, Balderson, On

“The show was truly excellent! I especially appreciated the beautiful harmonies and crystal clear singing voices of the cast. The comedic timing was incredible and I laughed my head off. Beautiful choreography, actors also playing instruments, costumes, set…………..Whew.I couldn’t have enjoyed it more!”

-Brenda

“This past week I caught Tweed and Company’s production of Hastings, The Musical in Perth at the Studio Theatre. Am almost lost for words – how come we have not see this group on more stages in and around Ottawa and Kingston? So much talent – musically – where all the actors are the vocalists and the orchestra – playing a variety of instruments each, the choreography was executed with precision, enthusiasm and moved the story along brilliantly. The acting was very strong and again, actors playing multiple characters with many character changes taking place right on stage! The writing and musical composition was all original material – it effectively told the story of Hastings County with humour and high energy (I will never think of Susanna Moodie as another boring historical figure from high school history class). The set was brilliant – minimal but versatile and very inviting – especially the bar that was accessible before the show and at intermission. Costumes and lighting added to the energy and verve of the show. This is a show that could be put down anywhere – outdoors (wouldn’t that be fun on a hot day with a cold beer in hand!), in a school gym (a great way to enhance history curriculum) and on professional stages like the National Arts Centre.Canadians need to see this kind of show – Fun, entertaining and brilliantly executed. Congratulations to Tweed and Company – Can hardly wait to see their production of Aleck Bell- because I love first class entertainment and that’s what Tweed is offering.”

“Fabulous show. Congratulations to the entire cast.This is a show you don’t want to miss.”

–Sharon Pedersen

“There are not enough words to describe this fantastic show……so talented.”

–Tammy Austin

“I am so happy for you! I loved this show. Hope it takes you to the stars and back.”

–Denyse Marie Aimee Mouck

“Great show! Actors were so talented. A great troupe with such high energy. Bravo.”

–Patty Preston

“Awesome show, you do not want to miss it. If you get a chance go see it.”

–Eleanor Brock

“Fanastic night”

–Tammy Austin

“Was invited to see Hastings! The Musical – and what a treat!! Cast, crew, writers, arrangers, and directer, Tim Porter, should be so, so, so proud of themselves for such a quality and engaging production. Any show, but particularly new musicals, are hard to sell especially in smaller areas but the writers of this show were smart both in a creative and business sense to choose a subject matter of interest to the audience of the area but spinning it in a way to engage a viewer with little or no historical knowledge of Hastings county. Funding as well is a great hurdle but there was no indication of corner cutting or lack of where with all in any way. Talent was top notch, and the musicianship was incredible! I was salivating watching the cast. Kept thinking, there is my Memories & Legends troupe. 😉 Once again, thank you and congratulations on your success with this exceptional show!!”

-Stephen Geddes, Canadian Composer

“Great show. Talented cast, high energy and fun.”

–Susan Clarke

“Playing today at The Empire Theatre – shows at 2pm & 7:30pm. Worked the show last night and it is amazing! Come out and hear the historical stories of Hastings county in song & dance performed by Tweed & Company Theatre #supportlocal”

–Rosi Ouellette

“Congratulations to Tweedites Tim Porter and Mark Lesage, and the rest of Tweed & Company Theatre, on a very successful opening night for Hastings! The Musical at the Empire in Belleville… see the last shows at 2 or 7:30 today. The show was good last year when it premiered in Tweed – but evolution in the production and a new sound system = fantastic! Go see it again, Tweed!”

-Tweed & Area Arts Council

“The audience had no idea what to expect next at any point in the show except that it would be hilarious and off the wall. Very clever writing and a wonderful performance. We laughed and laughed. Who knew the St. Lawrence had a pirate??”

–Theresa Winchester

“Just left the production “Hastings” in Perth at the Studio Theatre. Absolutely terrific! The young cast had wonderful voices and energy. Their capabilities of playing different instruments was outstanding. Great job by the crew. Highly recommend!

Well done!”

–Ann Bradley

“It is said that in Newfoundland they tell Tweed jokes. They’d better not tell them too loudly.

This small centre Hastings village has taken the theatre world in Ontario by storm, from Toronto to Perth and from Bancroft to Belleville. Their latest hit, marking this youthful company’s tenth anniversary, completed its run in the Empire Theatre earlier this month with solid and very happy crowds.

“Hastings, the Musical’ is a cast of ghosts –but they are ghosts we know and love and have studied in local history classes – John Meyers, Susanna Moodie, tavern owner Rose Simpson, Intelligencer founder George Benjamin, his printer apprentice cum prime minister Mackenzie Bowell, assorted mid-19th century rebels, made famous in a book by local author, Betsy Boyce, and more. Ghostly characters the cast may play, but they do it with plenty of youthful enthusiasm, including compelling, rhythmic stomping that would make Tom Connors proud. The songs range from poignant ballads, to folk song to toe-tapping jigs.

One aspect that puts a stamp of uniqueness on the Tweed Theatre Company is that there is no pit band. The actors on stage play their own instruments, including a piano, drum set, bass viol, violin, mandolin, banjo and even a trumpet to announce the arrival of the Prince Regent and his song: “I’m not getting off this Boat.” All the songs and musical arrangements are also original works by individual or collective members of the cast.

In a salute to one of Canada’s oldest newspapers, there is a song about how readers of the day loved the “Belleville Intelligencer.” Perhaps using some theatrical licence, Susanna Moodie is portrayed as a raucous, rowdy social critic, although her own writings do reflect sharp comments about Belleville society in her day. As for Rosie Simpson, “If no one will open the door, just open another brew.”

Of course, there is lots of material about the railway and its impact and the famous gold rush, plus the grab for free to cheap land.

One mystery to this local historian was a song about “The Pirate of the St. Lawrence.” No one cared. They just tapped along and enjoyed. No doubt the company can confirm the historical context of this episode.

Coming within the next few weeks by this remarkable company is an updated production of their former hit musical, “Aleck Bell.” That show proved to be a real charmer the first time around in 2011 and the remake should be even more entertaining. It is scheduled to run in September in Tweed. It’s worth the drive.

Odds are, if you were in or near Hastings County last summer, you most likely heard about the incredible new Musical Production taking the region by storm.HASTINGS! A New Musical was largely praised as the entertainment highlight of the season in 2017, and spurned Tweed & Company (the inventive and exciting creator of the piece) on to winning the 2017 Hastings County Tourism Champion of the Year award.

With it’s sweeping soundtrack, beautiful set and costumes, and truly inventive staging, HASTINGS blew the audience away, selling out countless performances, and inspiring several other theatres across the region to pick up the production, and bring it to new audiences in the summer of 2018.And now, as the August performance dates approach, Tweed & Company has announced a cast of incredible Actor Musicians who are sure to blow the roof off of these tour venues, and present a production that is yet again not to be missed.

HASTINGS! The Musical is billed as an irreverent retelling of the history of Hastings County, and this foot stomping, laugh out loud musical with beautiful choreographic sequences, and a cast of 9 who all play the instruments (occasionally while dancing as well), does not disappoint.Covering everything from the initial founding of the region by John Meyers, to the area’s role in the rebellion of 1837, to the Pirate of the St. Lawrence, to a certain famous novelist who you have to see to believe, the show delivers on an award winning joy ride that will leave you speechless and coming back for more.

And with a cast like the one Tweed & Company has assembled for this summer’s production, we expect you may be lining up down the street for tickets.We’ll start with highlighting some of the returning favourites that Tweed audiences have come to know and love.Fresh off his SELL OUT concert at the pavilion this May, JAMES KING returns to Hastings in the role he originated last year.James is a talented multi instrumentalist who originally hails from Eastern Ontario, (North Augusta to be exact) and whose band JAMES KING & THE MIDNIGHT HOURS has been blowing up the Canadian Music scene.In 2018 alone, James has been in the top 100 of the CBC searchlight competition beating out over 3000 other artists, and also won the MyEntertainmentWorld award in Toronto for his portrayal of Hedwig in ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ at Hart House Theatre. James has been a regular at the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott, at Festival Players in the County, and with Soulpepper theatre in Toronto, and in our opinion, James alone is worth the price of admission.

Returning for this summer’s production after a brief time away is crowd favourite DANIELLE LEGER!Danielle has been off in merry old England for the past two years, touring the music and comedy circuits, and has been much missed at all of our Tweed & Company Productions, so we are thrilled to welcome her back to Canada, and back to Tweed & Co!Our audience may recognize Danielle from the Tweed productions of The Times They Are A Changin, Aleck Bell: The Musical, Make Em Laugh, Godspell, and All You Need Is Love.We are so excited to have this hilarious and incredibly talented performer back in our midst, and can’t wait for you to see her in this show!

Tweed & Company is also ecstatic to announce a thrilling new addition to the company this year, award winning and much sought after musician, JESSICA WILSON will be joining the touring company of HASTINGS.Jessica is a singer/songwriter from Welland Ontario, who can be seen on stages across Canada this summer, having already performed with artists like Serena Ryder, Metric and City & Colour, and being selected by Ryan Seacrest as the international winner of his MARCH MUSIC MADNESS contest.Jessica is the winner of the 2017 Niagara Music People’s Choice award, and is a Honey Jam Canada Emerging Artist.She also appeared on the TV show OVER THE RAINBOW, and has a degree in Music Theatre from St. Clair College.With the recent release of her debut EP, and an escalating fan base and body of work, Tweed & Co are thrilled to have Jessica joining us for this production, and can’t wait for the audience to hear this unbelievable voice, and see this young talent play.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a celebrated Tweed & Company Musical without the stunning, soaring voice of MICHAEL COLIN JONES.Affectionately known as Colin, this multi talented high tenor has been seen in countless Tweed & Company productions including Hastings, The Times They Are A Changin’, I’ll Fly Away, Godspell, and Stalkyard Hurts.Colin is also a well known Toronto Theatre performer having appeared in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The Little Mermaid, The Rocky Horror Show, Next To Normal, Avenue Q, and RENT to name a few.Originally from Nova Scotia, and a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts in BC, Tweed & Company is thrilled to have wrestled Colin away from his busy performance career in Toronto for another summer of Magic in Hastings County!

Local performer MARK LESAGE will also be rejoining the production on tour this summer, with a considerable amount of added local acclaim, and a passion for performance that is unmatched.Since making his Tweed & Co debut in Hastings last summer, Mark went on to write his own one man show THE REBEL OF HUNGERFORD, that packed houses in it’s premiere presentation at the Tweed Harvest festival, and was then picked up for successful runs at The Old Church Theatre in Trenton, The Royal Theatre in Gananoque, and at the Marble Arts Centre in Tweed.Mark is an incredibly accomplished instrumentalist, and with several hilarious star turns inthis production, you won’t want to miss seeing this local legend shine.

Also returning to the show is costume designer and violinist extraordinaire, AMY MARIE WALLACE.Amy has had a very busy few seasons with Tweed & Co, first performing in Salt Water Moon, then returning for Hastings, and Living History: A Walking Tour, along with designing the costumes for all of these productions.Not only is Amy a remarkable violinist and a beautiful designer, but her talents spread far and wide with everything from assisting celebrated illusionist Nick Wallace at his performances in Toronto and Niagara, to her film and television appearances, and owning and operating her own handbag company, Wallace-Read.You can catch Amy’s design work at a Tweed & Company Production this season, or downtown Toronto this winter in the celebrated revival of Peter Pan at Soulpepper.Her incredible costumes and unmatched skill on the violin also add to HASTINGS! being a production you won’t want to miss.

Another major collaborator on this project also returns for year two, the beautiful and talented RACHEL BABOR will once again bring life to the role of Christie, as well as choreographing the show (for which she received high high praise last season), and as the composer of audience favourite, THE NEWSPAPER SONG.Few people can claim performance, instrumentalist, choreography, and composing credits on a single production, but Rachel is truly one of a kind.Her stunning dancing and choreography brought audiences to their feet last season, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store for this revival production.Besides being a favourite here in Tweed, Rachel also works regularly across the country as a triple threat performer, most recently in Mamma Mia with Theatre Aquarius and Western Canada Theatre, and in countless productions with Drayton Entertainment, Canada’s largest theatre company, in Honk The Musical, Joseph, Aladdin: The Panto, Anne of Green Gables, The Music Man, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan: The Panto, Annie, 9 to 5 The Musical, and Hairspray, to name a few.Rachel is also a Yoga instructor, and active volunteer, having travelled to Kenya on five occasions.You won’t want to miss this truly special performance by a gifted and caring artist.

Associate Artistic Director JOEL MACMEEKIN also reprises his role in HASTINGS, much to the delight of all.Joel is well known in Tweed for his incredible comedic ability and beautiful visual artistry.An accomplished and respected Visual Artist (with so many commissions currently he can barely keep up), Joel is also responsible for all of Tweed & Company’s beautiful original Season Graphics, including his 2016 work for SALT WATER MOON, which is now the cover of the printed play version.As the pouty prince, Joel steals the show, and can also take credit as a co-writer of the script for HASTINGS, and the lead writer on ALECK BELL.People may also recognize Joel from past productions such as I’ll Fly Away, All You Need is Love, The Times They Are A Changin, and many more.

And last but certainly not least is everyone’s favourite wizard on the drum kit, MIKE LEE!One of the most musically gifted performers in the country, Mike is a magician on countless instruments, and his switching from skill to skill during this performance has to be seen to be believed.Mike is also an active member of the Toronto Comedy Community, having performed with the Second City Conservatory, Claude Watson, Bad Dog Theatre, and more.When he is not performing with Tweed & Company, Mike can be seen with a number of up and coming and successful bands as one of the most exciting drummers in Toronto, including James King & The Midnight Hours, The Haunted Lovers, The StarGazers and more.

HASTINGS! A New Musical will play three cities in Eastern Ontario this August, at the Village Playhouse in Bancroft from August 7th to 11th, The Studio Theatre in Perth August 14th & 15th, and the Empire Theatre in Belleville August 17th & 18th.Tickets range from $20-$30, and can be booked by visiting www.tweedandcompany.com.Don’t miss the show that the Central Hastings News calls “MAGIC. An extraordinary panorama of song, dance and Hastings County history”, or that Ontario’s Highlands says “Hands down the most memorable theatre performance I have seen to date.A truly remarkable show.I would see it ten times over if I could.” Book your tickets today, and join this incredible cast for the encore production of HASTINGS! The Musical!See you at the show!

Local professional theatre troupe TWEED & COMPANY THEATRE recently unveiled a huge 2018 season to much excitement and anticipation. This greatly enhanced wide ranging season is in celebration of the group’s 10th anniversary, a huge milestone for any organization, but particularly for a small theatre company with a mandate of Original Canadian Musical Theatre. “We are thrilled with the success of the company so far, and are so thankful for the support and excitement we continually receive from our community, and from the municipality” says Artistic Director Tim Porter. “It has been a remarkable ten years so far, and the growth of the company, increase in attendance, and the quality improvements we have been able to make over the years is a really exciting indication for the future.”

In speaking with Porter about the company you can tell that the dedication and ambition of the organization is high, and there is potential here to have a major theatre festival rivalling the larger organizations in Toronto, and in Western Ontario. “We have always wanted to create something really special for the region, and for Tweed specifically, and we are well on the way to accomplishing that. Last season we doubled our average attendance, as well as doubling our tourist attendance, and we were honoured to win the Hastings County Tourism Champion of the Year award. We really think that it is only a matter of time before Tweed has one of the most exciting and celebrated professional regional theatre groups in the province. And we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all of that, or have such hopes and dreams for the future were it not for our incredibly supportive patrons, and the dedication of our fan base who have attended productions over the past ten years.” Says Porter.

The Tweed News has attended most, if not all of those productions, and can speak to the integrity, quality and extreme entertainment value of these shows. We have given Tweed & Co several rave reviews over the years, and our writers have always been impressed with the quality and originality of the shows this group presents, not to mention how much the audience continually enjoys themselves and returns for more. One of the most exciting parts about witnessing these shows over the years has been watching the audience grow and expand, with many people returning time and again, and new faces in the audience at every production, hitting a peak this past summer with HASTINGS! A New Musical. “HASTINGS was a very special project for us, and we were overjoyed at the community’s reaction and at its success. We sold out many performances, and it was our highest attended show to date, with people coming from as far away as Waterloo and Ottawa to see the show, and more local people coming into the theatre than ever before.” HASTINGS will receive a remount at three regional theatres this coming August: In Bancroft at The Village Playhouse, in Perth at The Studio Theatre, and perhaps most exciting, in Belleville at The Empire Theatre, the largest venue the company will have played up to this point.

It truly is an exciting time for this still fledgling theatre troupe, and excitement has already been mounting for their very ambitious 2018 programming, kicking off with two different productions at the Tweed Winter Carnival. SONGBUSTER makes a triumphant return in 2018 after two sold out performances at the 2017 Winter Carnival. This Fully Improvised Musical is an absolute riot, with an incredible cast of 6 musical improvers, and an out of this world pianist who makes up melodies on the spot. SONGBUSTER was a huge hit last year, with many people taking in both performances (it is a brand new show every time after all). This season there will be three performances, Saturday, February 17th at 7:00 PM, and Sunday, February 18th at 1 PM and 7 PM. THERE IS A MISPRINT IN THE WINTER CARNIVAL BROCHURE which states the matinee is at 2 PM, but it is in fact at 1 PM. “But we will make sure everyone knows the show is in fact 1 PM, and will do our best to make sure everyone has a chance to see this hilarious production.” It is recommended that you purchase tickets in advance, as seating is limited, and this show has been incredibly popular in the past, both here in Tweed and across the province at events like Just For Laughs, Canadian Comedy Week, NextStage Festival, and the Toronto Fringe. “This show sells out pretty much wherever it goes, and we promise you won’t be disappointed. It is a riot.” Porter himself has seen the show 6 times, and insists he loves it more with each performance. The show is a one hour performance, and all tickets are $12.00 general admission. Doors will open half an hour prior to showtimes, and a cash bar will also be available. The show is suitable for all ages, but the evening performances may feature more adult content.

Tweed & Company is also bringing a new endeavour to the Tweed Winter Carnival this season with THE PRINCESS BALL! This two hour princess party extravaganza will host three of your favourite Disney princesses in a magical afternoon of song, dance, storytelling, crafts, games, tea party, photo ops and more! “We are overjoyed to have been able to book the top Princess Party company in the province, THE FAIRYTALE FACTORY to create a truly magical afternoon for young people and their families at the Winter Carnival. For $12.00 a person you get a Princess Show, Story time, a chance to take photos and meet and greet with the princesses, do crafts and face painting with them, enjoy a tea party with your favourite princess, and more! We have also booked a Princess bouncy Castle with a slide! It’s going to be a really magical and fun afternoon, and we encourage everyone to dress up like their favourite princess, and get ready to have a great time!” Attendance for THE PRINCESS BALL is also quite limited, so it is recommended that you book your tickets in advance, either online through tweedandcompany.com, or in person here at The Tweed News.

There is also a winter carnival package option in the works for families of four who wish to take in all the carnival has to offer at a discounted rate. Visit tweed and company’s website or follow them on facebook for more information on that.

“We are very excited for this thrilling 2018 season” says Porter, “And we hope everyone will join us for these first two productions, which are sure to be a blast! All tickets for our Tweed Winter Carnival events are only $12.00. We started an endeavour a few years ago to ensure the we were offering theatre that was affordable and accessible for all audiences, and we are proud of the fact that we offer some of the lowest ticket prices in the province, which again we wouldn’t be able to do without the incredible support of our patrons and sponsors. We guarantee you will be blown away by the productions you attend.” For more information on Tweed & Company’s entire 2018 season, or the Tweed Winter Carnival, visit their website at www.tweedandcompany.com. And get your tickets for one of these incredible productions at the Tweed News today! We’re positive you won’t regret it.

Tweed & Company Theatre is thrilled to announce our epic new season of live professional theatre in Tweed! 2018 will mark our 10TH ANNIVERSARY season of production, and to celebrate that incredible landmark, we will be presenting the most shows we have ever done, over the longest period of time, and in the most venues. Coming off of our incredibly successful 2017 season, Tweed & Company is excited to continue to build on some new milestones from this past year, including our highest overall attendance to date, our highest tourist attendance, countless sold out performances throughout the season, and being awarded the Hastings County TOURISM CHAMPION OF THE YEAR!

HASTINGS! A New Musical skyrocketed the theatre company to a new level of recognition after countless rave reviews, sold out performances, and incredible word of mouth. And we are thrilled to announce that this landmark production will now play in three new cities for Tweed & Company, to spread the excitement and enthusiasm of this incredible live musical across Hastings County! HASTINGS will play at the Village Playhouse in Bancroft, the Studio Theatre in Perth, and at the Empire Theatre in Belleville.

We are also thrilled to announce the return of our most talked about and most requested production from the past, ALECK BELL: A Canadian Pop Rock Musical! A new revival production of ALECK BELL will play September 2018 at the Tweed Pavilion on our new alley stage, with new costumes, sets, songs and an incredible cast of professional performers who all play the instruments as well. This rock musical is a crowd favourite, and we can’t wait to reinvent it for a whole new audience next fall.

Also returning in 2018 after incredibly successful showings in 2017 are SONGBUSTER: The Fully Improvised Musical, and the ever popular DARK NIGHT CABARET. SONGBUSTER blew the roof off of the Tweed winter carnival in February, with a huge chunk of the audience having such a good time at the first show that they returned for the second, which is the true joy of this production! A brand new show every time, this incredibly talented cast of popular Canadian Comedians brings the house down with their quick wit and musical improvisation skills. And during the run of ALECK BELL, don’t miss everyone’s favourite evening of music, stories and laughter with the DARK NIGHT CABARET. Our exceptionally talented cast of ALECK BELL will all be performing their party pieces, favourite numbers, and telling stories and adventures of a life in the Canadian Musical Theatre.

Rounding out our thrilling 2018 season are two new one night only presentations that are sure to bring the house down. Most people who have attended one of our past productions will recognize the incredible talent and character that is James King. James will be bringing his band JAMES KING & THE MIDNIGHT HOURS to the Tweed Pavilion for a once in a lifetime concert of classic hits, original rock, and theatricality which is sure to be a night to remember. With the recent success of this popular new act, we feel truly lucky to have them for this special evening, so be sure to join us at the pavilion and see this group live in Tweed while you can! And then, next December, join us for your favourite new holiday tradition, A TWEED & COMPANY CHRISTMAS! We are very excited to present our first Christmas show, and what will surely become an annual tradition of our favourite artists, special guests, and local talent all backed by a live band, at the beautiful St. John’s United Church in Tweed. This show is also a one night only performance, so book early to avoid disappointment!

2018 is sure to be our most exciting and talked about season yet, so don’t miss out on the excitement, and book your tickets today! Tickets for all of our performances in Tweed can be purchased at The Tweed News or online at our website, www.tweedandcompany.com. Tickets for touring productions can in some cases be purchased directly at those venues, or by visiting our website, or the venue website for more info. Tickets are available online now, and will go on sale at the Tweed News in January.

We are also thrilled to announce additional funding this season from Community Future’s Eastern Ontario Development Program, which will allow us to purchase new sound equipment and some additional lighting equipment and promotion, which will once again drastically increase the quality of our productions, bring more people into the region, and help spread word of mouth about all that our area has to offer!

Tweed & Company Theatre is an incorporated not for profit organization and a professional producer of Original Canadian Musical Theatre based out of Tweed Ontario. Celebrating our 10th anniversary season, Tweed & Company has gained the reputation across the province of being a top producer of live musical theatre, as well as a recognized incubator for Original Canadian Works. Working with Actors, Composers, Musicians and Creators from across the country and from many of the other major festivals including The Stratford Festival, The Shaw Festival, Mirvish, and Drayton Entertainment, Tweed & Company is primed to become a major player in the Canadian Musical Theatre Industry in the coming years. Winner of the Hastings County TOURISM CHAMPION OF THE YEAR, broadwayworld.com best independent production, pick of the Fringe from Now Magazine and Torontoist, and in 2017 a Culture Days commissioned event.

So join us in 2018 and see what all the fuss is about! With 31 performances spread out across 11 months of the year, there are lots of opportunities to get out and experience incredible live theatre right in your own backyard! We can’t wait to produce this huge season of original Canadian Musical Theatre across Hastings County, and continue to bring quality live productions to this incredibly supportive community. See you at the show!

PLEASE READ ON BELOW FOR FULL INFO ON EACH OF THIS SEASON’S PRODUCTIONS, AND LIST OF OUR INCREDIBLE SPONSORS:

SONGBUSTER: The Fully Improvised Musical!

Saturday, February 17th @ 7 PM

Sunday, February 18th @ 1 & 7 PM

Tickets: $12.00 General Admission

At The Tweed Hungerford Agricultural Building (Tweed Fair White Building) part of the Tweed Winter Carnival

After their two SOLD OUT performances in Tweed last season, we are thrilled to be bringing back SONGBUSTER! The Fully Improvised Musical for 3 shows at the 2018 Tweed Winter Carnival! With sold out crowds at the Toronto Fringe Festival, Next Stage Festival, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, and Just For Laughs Toronto, Tweed & Company is thrilled to bring the incredibly entertaining SONGBUSTER to the Tweed Fair White Building as part of the Tweed Winter Carnival! This show will have you rolling in the aisles as this incredible group of actors and musicians creates a full one hour musical based on YOUR suggestions! SONGBUSTER has been receiving rave reviews and standing ovations wherever it goes, and we are thrilled to have this incredible group joining us this February!

THE PRINCESS BALL

Sunday, February 18th 4-6 PM

Tickets: $12.00 General Admission

At The Tweed Hungerford Agricultural Building (Tweed

Fair White Building) part of the Tweed Winter Carnival

Come and join all of your favourite Princesses for THE PRINCESS BALL! This season, as a new addition to the Tweed Winter Carnival, Tweed & Company will be hosting The Princess Ball, a rare opportunity to mix and mingle with Royalty, as your children’s favourite characters join them for a two hour extravaganza of singing, dancing, high tea, crafts, face painting, and bouncy castle fun! Tweed & Company Theatre, The Tweed Winter Carnival, and The Fairytale Factory will be bringing three Princesses to the Tweed Fair White Building for this magical afternoon, and all for only $12.00 per person. So get your ball gown on, and bring your camera for a few hours of pure magic and fantastical entertainment!

JAMES KING & THE MIDNIGHT HOURS

Saturday, May 12th @ 8 PM

Tickets: $15.00

At The Tweed Pavilion in Memorial Park

Most people who have attended a Tweed & Company production will recognize the incredible talent and explosion of personality that is JAMES KING. We are thrilled to be bringing James and his classic rock band THE MIDNIGHT HOURS to Tweed for this one night only evening! A combination of live music, vocal athletics, and theatricality, James King has been sweeping the Toronto Music scene. After releasing his debut EP “Where Will You Take Me” in early 2017, King went on to form “James King & The Midnight Hours”. They are a five-piece classic rock trip, served up retro style. A collection of multi-talented Toronto based artists including: Gaby Grice on keys and vocals, Richard Lam on lead guitar, Mike Lee on drums, Daniel Williston on bass and vocals, with King as frontman and lead vocalist. With the recent success of this rising star, don’t miss this one night only opportunity to catch this incredible band while you still can!

HASTINGS! THE MUSICAL On Tour

Tickets: $30.00 Regular, $20.00 Student

THE VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE, Bancroft:

Tuesday, Aug 7th @ 7:30 PM

Wednesday, Aug 8th @ 7:30 PM

Thursday, Aug 9th @ 2:00 PM

Thursday, Aug 9th @ 7:30 PM

Friday, Aug 10th @ 7:30 PM

Saturday, Aug 11 @ 2:00 PM

Saturday, Aug 11 @ 7:30 PM

THE STUDIO THEATRE, Perth

Tuesday, Aug 14th @ 2:00 PM

Tuesday, Aug 14th @ 7:30 PM

Wednesday, Aug 15th @ 2:00 PM

THE EMPIRE THEATRE, Belleville

Friday, Aug 17th @ 7:30 PM

Saturday, Aug 18th @ 2:00 PM

Saturday, Aug 18th @ 7:30 PM

After Rave Reviews and countless sold out performances during our two week run at the Tweed Pavilion this past summer, Tweed & Company is ecstatic to announce that HASTINGS! A NEW MUSICAL will be touring regional theatres in the summer of 2018! This hilarious, foot stomping irreverent retelling of the History of Hastings County is sure to once again be the entertainment highlight of the season! Written by the Tweed & Company Ensemble with the assistance of the Hastings County Historical Society, this show features music from several up and coming and established Canadian composers, coming to us from the Stratford Festival, The Second City, and with major Toronto credits, and some of them originally from right here in Hastings County! Hastings features a cast of nine incredible performers, all of whom also play the instruments and create a stunning live band on stage. The beautiful rustic set, costumes, and unique and exciting staging complete this theatrical experience. Don’t miss this incredible Musical in its encore presentation! See the musical that INSIDE BELLEVILLE calls “An extraordinary panorama of song, dance and Hastings County history”, that CENTRAL HASTINGS NEWS says is “Incredible, it deserves to be re-staged throughout Hastings County” That ONTARIO’S HIGHLANDS TOURISM hails as “A truly remarkable show! I would see it ten times over if I could” that THE TWEED NEWS Says “In short the show was simply fantastic”, and THE HASTINGS COUNTY WANDERER claims “It was hands down the most memorable theatre performance I have seen to date. The Storytelling…The Musicianship… The Humour: I honestly have not laughed that hard in quite some time. So go, now, quickly.” Don’t miss this incredible Musical at one of it’s three touring venues, The Village Playhouse in Bancroft, The Studio Theatre in Perth, or The Empire Theatre in Belleville.

ALECK BELL: A Canadian Pop Rock Musical

Wednesday, Sept 19th @ 7:30 PM

Thursday, Sept 20th @ 7:30 PM

Friday, Sept 21st @ 7:30 PM

Saturday, Sept 22nd @ 2:00 PM

Saturday, Sept 22nd @ 7:30 PM

Sunday, Sept 23rd @ 2:00 PM

Wednesday, Sept 26th @ 7:30 PM

Thursday, Sept 27th STUDENT MATINEE

Thursday, Sept 27th @ 7:30 PM

Saturday, Sept 29th @ 2:00 PM

Saturday, Sept 29th @ 7:30 PM

Tickets: $25.00 Adult, $20.00 Senior/Arts Council, $15.00 Student

At The Tweed Pavilion in Memorial Park

The year is 1876. Three men are locked in a heated battle to create arguably the world’s most important invention…The telephone. One man emerges victorious. That man was ALECK BELL. In 2018, come and witness the epic new revival of our biggest success story, ALECK BELL! A CANADIAN POP ROCK MUSICAL. Join us as we delve into the past with a modern pop rock twist, and experience the story of the telephone as you never have before. Drama, intrigue, accusations, trials, sickness, espionage, a race to the finish line, secret meetings, and the only time in history a patent has been granted without a working model…the true story of the invention of the telephone and the men behind it is much deeper and darker than we think. This energetic and inspiring musical will change the way you look at history. Told by an incredible cast of eight performer musicians who all play the instruments live during the musical, and featuring all of your favourite Canadian Pop Rock Hits, ALECK BELL returns to Tweed to receive a new staging on our Alley Stage at the Pavilion, with new songs, a beautiful new design, and a cast like you’ve never seen before. ALECK BELL has toured various venues in Ontario to rave reviews, and we are thrilled to be bringing back this exciting musical, one of our favourite Original creations, to celebrate our 10th Anniversary Season of live professional Original Canadian Musical Theatre. Don’t miss this remarkable show that THE BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER raves: “Every once in a rare while, a show comes along that takes the stage and audiences by storm. Such a show is Tweed & Company Theatre’s “Aleck Bell”. This production is done with wit, humour, enthusiasm and tons of talent by a youthful cast of eight. The choreography is spectacular. With young talent like this, the future of Canadian theatre is in good hands.”

THE DARK NIGHT CABARET

Friday, September 28th @ 8 PM

Tickets: $10.00

At The Tweed Pavilion in Memorial Park

Arguably one of our most successful and talked about traditions, THE DARK NIGHT CABARET will return once again this September during the run of ALECK BELL! Come and join this incredible cast, alongside some of our favourite ensemble members, and of course some incredible local talent, for this one night only extravaganza of song and dance and laughter! In this magical evening, each artist will perform their favourite pieces, their special skills, small group numbers, original creations and more, in what is always a very special, impossible to recreate evening of live entertainment. This one night only event is traditionally a hot ticket, so book in advance to avoid disappointment!

A TWEED & COMPANY CHRISTMAS

Saturday, December 15th @ 7 PM

Tickets: $15.00

St. John’s United Church Tweed

To cap off our massive and exciting 10th Anniversary Season, we are thrilled to announce a new tradition for our Company, A TWEED & COMPANY CHRISTMAS! This one night only classic Christmas concert will feature some of your favourite Tweed & Company Performers, as well as some special guests, singing all of your Christmas favourites, backed by a live five piece band. An assortment of solos, ensembles, and choral pieces, this new Musical Evening is sure to become a crowd favourite, as we bring some of the magic of the Holiday Season, and create an unforgettable evening of Holiday Entertainment in the cold weeks of December. Don’t miss it!

Tweed & Company is very excited to present our newest musical creation, FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT, this month at the Marble Arts Centre. Just in time for halloween, you won’t want to miss this outrageous new musical comedy. FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT tells the story of a small hamlet, Windy Hollow, as a strange legend comes to life during the super moon solstice.

Brainchild of HASTINGS! A New Musical lead composer Tricia Black, FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT is based on the local legend of the Loup Garou, and is being presented for two nights only in a workshop fashion.

There are many steps to creating a successful new musical, and one of those steps is performing a workshop presentation, before mounting a full fledged production of a new show, to gauge audience reaction and input, before taking a show back to the drawing board one final time. Presenting a workshop gives us the opportunity to refine a show, while seeing what works and what doesn’t, and raising a small amount of funding to continue work on the Musical.

So audiences know what to expect, the performers will be using their scripts, as we will be making changes leading up to, and potentially between the performances, so that we can adapt and refine based on the audience’s reactions. But rest assured, with this incredible cast and hilarious content, you are in for a night of incredible entertainment, all while helping us to create our next big success story!

Tweed & Company has now created a total of four large scale entirely original Canadian Musicals, and FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT could be our next big hit. There will only be two chances for local audiences to get a sneak peak into our creative process, and experience this exciting and hilarious new show before the rest of the world.

With an all star cast of professional performers, we are very excited to be bringing back some returning favourites, as well as some exciting new talent for Tweed & Company! Local audiences will of course recognize the hilarious Tricia Black, star of countless productions, and composer and writer on many of our shows. They will also remember Colin Jones, featured in many of our major musicals, including HASTINGS this past summer, and returning favourite, Jacquie Martin, making a return to the company after last performing in ALECK BELL & GODSPELL in 2012. Also returning to Tweed will be Alexandra Hurley, who appeared earlier this year in the smash hit SONGBUSTER! New to Tweed, but not new to the company is Nick Whelan, who performed in our hit Fringe show STALKYARD HURTS. And entirely new to the company and our performances here in Tweed, we are thrilled to welcome the incredible talents of Sarite Harris, a sought after performer who worked in professional theatres coast to coast this season, and Caitlin English, the co-writer of the show.

FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT will play October 20th & 21st, both at 7:30 PM at the Marble Arts Centre in Actinolite. Tickets are available online by visiting www.tweedandcompany.com, or in person at the Tweed News. For more information visit our website, or follow us on Facebook. And be sure to book your tickets today! Many of our productions have sold out this season, and we need your support at events like these to continue our exciting work here in Hastings County. Join us for a night of mayhem and amusement as we showcase the first public presentation of FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT, and then stick around after to have your say!

We hope you will join us for this rare opportunity to be a part of our creative process, and for a great night of hilarious and spooky musical mayhem. All tickets only $15.00. Visit our website for full cast bios and more information. See you at the show!

HASTINGS! A New Musical has officially premiered in Tweed, Ontario at the historic Tweed dance pavilion, and the audience response has been overwhelming! We are overjoyed and ecstatic that the community has embraced this show as much as we hoped they would, and we wanted to take a quick moment to share what the audience was saying, as well as some of the newspaper reviews. Read on below to see how much people are LOVING this show, then watch for future productions!

HASTINGS! REVEW ROUND UP:

“Amazing…awesome…astonishing…awe-struck…astounding….and I am just on the “A’s”….this a show you can’t afford to miss…loved it. Definitely going back…we are so lucky to have such talent come to our town! Tim Porter…small town boy delivers big theatrical dividends….you can’t afford to miss this show! I am going back….Wow…oh-la-la….what a show. The Tweed & Company Theatre have created another original Canadian musical sensation. Last night’s performance was packed to the rafters. This history of Hastings production contains many interesting tidbits that are superbly portrayed by a cast that is both hilarious and dramatic. The musical score is absolutely breath taking….with hand clapping foot stomping tunes that had everyone in the audience moving with the beat and the harmonies were chilling. Don’t miss this amazing show. Catch it in Tweed before Broadway!! Congratulations! Tim Porter…small town boy delivers big theatrical dividends….you can’t afford to miss this show! See you there…going again. This musical is magical!”

“Just saw this production. Wonderful upbeat, hilarious and completely original musical. Think I’ll go back for seconds with my sister!”

–Beth Anne Power, Tweed, ON

“You need to see this production. They are such a talented cast. An original musical history of our Hastings County. So enjoyed it! Get your tickets. A must see!!!”

–Joanne Albert, Mayor of Tweed

“The show was Absolutely amazing! I was blown away from the minute I walked in and saw the stage! Thank you for a night I will always remember”

*****

–Ali James-Wilson, Lucky Clover Candles

“Wow….that was an incredible show…Blew us away with all the talent. So happy we are seeing it again x 2. Fantastic show and a amazing cast…..So happy to be apart of the debut night. A must see.”

–Cheryl Clark, Waterloo, ON

“The show is amazing! Great work and congratulations to all of you!”

–Judy Mewett, Stirling, ON

“Thank you Tim and all the cast for a very enjoyable, fun, hand clapping evening! I agree this is a must see. The show was amazing. The storyline, the music, the fun…such talent! Congrats to all! Your opening night was nothing less than amazing. John and I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing Talent you presented to everyone that attended. So proud of all your accomplishments. Such an amazing show! The pavilion is transformed into another place and time by this talented crew. A performance to remember. A MUST SEE show! The talent this cast presents is nothing short of awesome!”

*****

-Kathy Scott, Belleville, ON

“Best show/production ever!”

–Shelley Bateman, Bateman House Furniture

“Saw Hastings the Musical tonight – Tim Porter & his company brought MAGIC to the Kiwanis Pavilion. See it!”

–Billy Piton, Central Hastings News

“Saw the performance tonight and they were amazing as always. So lucky to have all this talent coming to Tweed.”

–Lynda Van Will, Tweed, ON

“So impressed with the show. Can’t say enough about the talent. See our history in music. Hastings the Musical. Come one come all. If you are looking for something to do on one of these rainy nights drop by and see “Hastings the Musical”. So impressed with the show. You are seeing big city quality right in our backyard. You will not be disappointed. The history of Hastings written, produced and performed by this talented group of performers. Tickets are available at the Tweed News or at the door. Bring a friend, spread the word.”

–Linda D Yorke, The CarpentHer

“Loved it! Deborah and I have a wonderful evening. What talent! What a great story! What an excellent venue! Choreography, props, costumes, all so impressive! You should be proud! We all are proud to have you as part of Hastings County. Keep up the great work and please congratulate every member of the cast for providing us with a memorable evening of enjoyment. We need to promote this production on our Facebook and web pages – it is a “Must See!””

-Mark Hanley, Hastings County

“Does this rain have you in a crummy mood? Stuck indoors but want to get your summer started? Come to the Tweed Pavilion to see HASTINGS The Musical! It is a show you do NOT want to miss, a show that will instantly warm your heart and put a smile back on your face. This show is magic! Travel through the ghosts of Hastings past with the amazing cast and crew (for real the cast is AMAZING and the crew is as well). There may not be sunshine outside today but there will be an abundance of happiness in the Pavilion!”

–Katherine Marlin, Tweed, ON

“I saw it last night!! Fantastic! I mean FANTASTIC. The music was great, the stories heartwarming and funny, and the creativity in this production is just incredible!! Such a talented crew and what a wonderful story/tribute to the past!!”

–Catherine Fergusson

“We saw Hastings tonight. The music was amazing!”

-Tristan Haynes Lindsay, TheMiddleAgedWomanWhoLivedInAShoe

“Incredible!!! What a beautiful show. Such a talented group of individuals, beautiful music, and the staging and direction was brilliant. So clever. Funny. And Touching. Such a special show. Congratulations!!! My mom is going to try and get a bunch of friends out to the show next week. Thanks for such a special night at the theatre. You definitely don’t want to miss this show. I had the opportunity to witness the magic last night.”

–Jackie Mustakas, Drayton, ON

“Saw the performance opening night. It was amazing. Tim never lets the audience down. Every production is wonderful. I think I’ve seen them all. Just sayin’ like it is. Your talent and talented team of actors never fail to impress.”

–Denyse Marie Aimee Mouck, Stirling, ON

“Are you looking for an evening of unique local entertainment? Tweed and Company’s most recent original production ‘Hastings: The Musical’ will fit the bill. Since 2009, the theatre company helmed by Artistic Director and Tweed native Tim Porter has produced original Canadian musical theatre, as well as quality professional grassroots regional shows. I have seen many of Tweed and Company’s productions over the years, and this is the best yet, not to be missed. ‘Hastings’ offers something for everyone: vignettes of local regional history, original music, and amazing choreography and costumes. The cast of nine talented actors includes long-time favourites (Tricia Black, Joel MacMeekin, James King, Amy Marie Wallace, Mike Lee and Michael Colin Jones) as well as faces new to the Company (Rachel Clark, Becca Guilderson, and well-known Tweed actor and musician Mark Lesage). Behind the scenes, Tim Porter directs, and Emily Mewett from the Stirling area is the General Manager. This clever show is a collaborative effort, with several cast members contributing to the writing/composing. The result includes a variety of musical genres, with moments both poignant and hilarious. The venue – one of the few lakeside pavilions remaining in Ontario – has been transformed with a unique set design. This musical takes you back by boat, train and coach to a Hastings that was still considered a new frontier – a journey taken with prominent historical figures and regular ‘Petes’. Much of the action centers around Mrs. Simpson’s Tavern, once an important gathering place that hosted political intrigue along with the drinking. This show is suitable for all ages. ‘Hastings’ opened on Wednesday June 28 to a sold-out crowd and runs daily at 7:30 p.m. until Friday July 7. Susanna (Moodie) says you must see this!”

-Vicki McCulloch, for the Community Press

“I was lucky enough to see the show on Wednesday with our kids from TES. Very impressed with the musicianship and overall talent . Clever portrayal of historical events affecting our locale. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have recommended to others in the community.”

–Vicki Louise, Tweed Elementary School

“I’ve seen many of your shows over the years – I think this is the best one yet! Well done, I highly recommend it…Enjoyed by all… Everybody was very engaged. Well done you and the team should be very proud. My two cents worth: your best show yet! Highly recommended. Coming back for a second viewing this evening… I enjoyed it even more the second time around tonight! It is so good!”

-Vicki McCulloch, VMTweed

“I love, love, love, LOVE it all. Last night I didn’t fall asleep until 2:00 am because the songs and harmonies were playing OVER and OVER in my head. Everyone is just so lovely with so much to offer. I have been telling EVERYONE about the show. EVERYONE. It actually hurts being back in Balderson. Like I’m not in the right place because I should be with all of you cheering you on. Can I come back right now?….. I’m not kidding. OUTSTANDING. Hastings the musical is a must see. The original music is an absolute hit! Toe- tapping fun and gorgeous ballads. Each actor plays multiple instruments while contributing breathtaking harmonies throughout the entire production. The performers are on stage the entire time! When the show starts it takes off with incredible energy. A Kitchen party flair and impeccable harmonies matching those of a family. The stamina of the artists is unstoppable. The quick scene changes, perfect costumes, quirky script, including the details, and the choreography is captivating and wonderfully unique. Hasting the musical is an experience. A perfect show reflecting the stories of special community. Tweed, it will make you proud! Saw it 7 times and love it more each time!”

-Julie Kevan, Perth, ON

“Your performance at Moira Place was great. The residents really enjoyed it. The people performing are just amazing with lots of talent. Please pass this on the them. Thanks!”

-Karen Arnold-Magee, Moira Place/AONinc

“Such a wonderful show!”

–Claire LeSage, Tweed, ON

“Irene and I can’t wait to see Hastings The Musical this Friday by the Tweed & Company Theatre in Municipality of Tweed!”

-Mike Bossio, MP

“It was fantastic we will definitely see it again. You were all amazing.Great show. Very talented group. Amazing Loved the whole thing”

*****

–Will Austin, Newton House Bed & Breakfast

“I was lucky enough to see the show on Wednesday with our kids from TES. Very impressed with the musicianship and overall talent . Clever portrayal of historical events affecting our locale. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have recommended to others in the community.”

-Vicki Louise, Tweed Elementary School

EXERT FROM INSIDE BELLEVILLE & CENTRAL HASTINGS NEWS: “Hastings the Musical – an extraordinary panorama of song, dance and Hastings County history. James King, cast and composer and Rachel Clark, cast, composer and choreographer of Hastings the Musical held the opening night audience spell bound. The cast recieved a resounding standing ovation and many vowed to return for a second performance. Hastings the Musical, a celebration of Canada’s birthday, is an energetic explosion of young talent that you dare not miss. The Tweed and Co. opening night, June 28 at the Tweed pavilion, was full throttle energy, soulful harmonies, original opera and camp songs, that all went straight to the heart of their theme of Hastings County history. The cast of nine bombarded their handmade stage swirling to the well-constructed songs. Throughout the evening, cast members played and exchanged a large collection of instruments. The staging, compositions, high-octane choreography, and sweet harmonies captivated the audience. After the two-hour extravaganza, and a standing ovation, comments included “Fantastic!” “You can tell it is good – everyone is glued.” “Incredible local talent.” “We are so lucky to have Tweed & Co in our community.” “The harmonies!” “Incredible, it deserves to be re-staged throughout Hastings County.” The characters burst into living colour. Tweed’s Merrill Denison, 1955 dances in pavilion, 1960s all-woman council, and the midnight train in Kaladar met with applause. Rachelle Clark (Babor) choreographed the production, while sharing her clear, smooth tones – of silk.”

–Lynn Marriott, INSIDE BELLEVILLE, CENTRAL HASTINGS NEWS

“The script was excellent, well written and great review of the history of Hastings County. The songs (I assume original) were wonderful, catchy and a pleasure to listen to both the tune and lyrics. The performance, acting, singing and instrumental were top notch. A thoroughly enjoyable, quality evening. Kudos to all. Good show for the Empire theatre in Belleville.”

–John M Dorion, Belleville, ON

“Please! Play in Kingston!”

–Jason Tilley, Kingston, ON

“A fantastic production. Charming, intriguing, beguiling…and oh so fun! In the beautiful and historic Tweed pavilion….a great venue for an incredible show. See it! Take a friend, or seven!”

-Clare Lesage, Tweed, ON

“Everyone is just lovin this show…don’t miss it…going back on Friday…definitely need a Hastings the Musical fix!!”

-Don DeGenova, Town Council

“The cast of Tweed & Company Theatre‘s ‘HASTINGS A New Musical’ were nothing short of amazing! I still can’t tell if I was more impressed with the vocal harmonies, that they interchanged playing different instruments, or the acting that transported me back in time. Overall, I’m still just in awe. It was absolutely incredible! I was blown away by the talent of the cast and the seamless execution of the entire performance. Would recommend it in a heartbeat!Congrats on an amazing achievement – great to see and hear the musical talents, from songwriters to performers. A truly remarkable show! I would see it ten times over if I could.”

-The Wanderer, Ontario’s Highlands Tourism

“We went to the play last night and I just wanted to say a fabulous job was done by all. My daughters loved the music and were curious if you will be putting out a recording of it.”

-Julie Wendland, Tweed, ON

“WOW!!! What an amazing and incredible show. I had the opportunity to attend last nights performance and was blown away! The cast members did a fantastic job intriguing the audience to laugh, cry, and stomp their feet. This is definitely an award-winning musical. Congratulations Tweed & Company Theatre!”

–Municipality of Tweed

EXERT FROM THE TWEED NEWS: “Hastings, The Musical a huge success. The Kiwanis Pavilion in Tweed Memorial Park has been a hot spot of activity over the last two weeks thanks to multiple performances of Hastings The Musical, presented by Tweed and Company Theatre. A steady stream of fans have made their way to the live musical, which boasted a sold out crowd on opening night, and has welcomed large attendance at every performance since. Tim Porter, once again put his talent to the test, creating an incredible stage for the pavilion that thoroughly impressed ticket holders before the show even began. The original design added to the unique atmosphere of the pavilion, making for a memorable production. The show itself incorporated a blend of toe taping music with clever choreography, and a beautiful, yet well informed story line. Inspired by the rich history of Hastings County, the show mentioned Billa Flint, Susanna Moodie and Mrs Simpson’s tavern, among several others. And of course the County’s history of gold and cheese were also prominently featured, along with insights into the United Empire Loyalists and the Rebels who opposed them. In many ways the show was a living history lesson, with as many laughs as heartwarming moments. In short the show was simply fantastic, but it was the talent of the all-star-cast that brought the story and the music to life. As with past productions, Tricia Black was once again a shining star, earning herself an even larger fan base with her humour and powerfully unique voice. Amy Marie Wallace proved a talent with both her fiddle and her accents. While local thespian Mark LeSage was a surprising delight, adding an extra depth to the production and teaming up well with his cast mates. Emily Mewett, production stage manager noted how pleased she and Porter were with the response to the show. She attributed the extra buzz surrounding the show to the increased marketing and the growing fan base. “The reputation of the company is growing,” said Mewett, referencing the company’s two sold out shows of Songbuster earlier this year which she believes helped to earn a positive standing for the company. “This is certainly one of our favourite shows yet,” said Mewett. Over the last several years Tweed and Company Theatre has made great strides in earning a loyal fan base in the immediate Tweed area. Productions could count on a great deal of local support, thanks in part to the top notch productions brought forth time and again. As the company has continued to grow, so has the fan base. A combination of talent and heart have proven this small theatre company to be one worth travelling for, which is why live theatre enthusiasts from all around the region are happily making their way to Tweed for these spectacular shows.”

-Lacy Meeks, The Tweed News

“What a show! Go see it while you can! Incredible cast, amazing music and the Tweed pavilion was completely transformed. Bravo! Keep doing amazing things!”

-Alyssa Ross, Trenton, ON

“Went again tonight (Thursday) with my sister, Cathy. She and I both agreed that we were blown away. And the history, comedy and original music – spectacular! Cathy says better than any Mirvish production this year!”

–Beth Anne Power, Tweed, ON

“Congratulations on an excellent production! The stage in the centre of the Pavilion, and the professional way in which all the participants worked that stage to involve the audience was impressive.The standing ovation was well earned. How that troupe maintained their high-energy performance throughout the evening is a tribute to their determination and stamina! Again, to all involved, congratulations and thanks!”

-Evan Morton, Tweed Historical Society

“Leslie and I were blown away. It was awesome . I will be sure to be at your next production.”

-Chris Rashotte, Rashotte Home Hardware

“It’s opening night, and the show – a musical based on local history – is sold out. There’s a buzz inside the building that may have something to do with the well-attended, operational bar which rests at the far end of a very long, wooden plank stage. There’s something quite lovely about the open-aired ambience of the place that is difficult to articulate – it possesses a kind of old-fashioned grandeur. The show begins with a reference to Mrs. Simpson’s tavern – which in fact, was the first watering hole in Belleville in the late 18th century. We are to imagine the door of her tavern as a “passageway to the past”, and for much of this performance, this concept seems apt because the play itself is a “doorway” to the “incredible people and events which give Hastings County its identity”. Events like: the hardships of pioneer life, the War of 1812, the first Hastings County Fair, the Rebellion of 1837, the Farmers’ Revolt, Irish immigration due to the Potato Famine, the Eldorado Gold Rush, and the Suffrage Movement. Again, to name a few. The content of the musical resonates with me, too. I grew up in this place, and have lived here much of my life. A copy of Historic Hastings, by Gerald Boyce, has sat on my parents’ bookshelf since 1967, Centennial year. The performance of Hastings. The Musical runs for ten days and coincides with Canada’s 150 celebrations. Fitting, indeed. As the play progresses, I recognize the tremendous energy and creativity of this theatre group; the play moves from burlesque to serious, in keeping with the songs which move seamlessly from upbeat foot-stompers with lots of drums, piano, guitar, mandolin, and bass to elegies fuelled by violin and flute. Throughout the evening, the voices of the performers capture and captivate. It’s a play that uses two large wood trunks, stamped with “Ship to Hastings County”, and a few wooden chairs as props to create a tavern table, a newspress, a stage coach, a sawmill, a grave, a train, a boat . . . the simplicity of this is echoed with the homespun attire of the men and the simplicity of the women’s dresses. And as with good theatre, we are pulled into the past. These young people truly like being here – in Hastings County – giving back history to the community in a place that holds so much history. They are having fun – just as the founders of the Pavilion intended. I’m impressed with the artistic enthusiasm of the performers – they are passionate, excited, and happy. Hastings County is a place that draws dynamic artists and talented young people from all over Canada. Like those early pioneers, these young people are resilient and creative. Places and histories can loop back and forth. Watching this musical is a double hook: the play is about local historical events, set in a venue that is historical, in a county that continues to inspire. It’s history inside history. Hastings County is both old and new, a home and a destination with lots more history in the making.”

-Ardith Racey, Hastings County

“What a show! I really enjoyed Tweed & Company Theatre’s Hastings the Musical last night in Municipality of Tweed! Great job, everyone! It was a fabulous show, best musical I have seen. Really well done.”

“Rebel Anthem, Newpaper Song, Suzanna Says, A New Home, Gold Rush, Not Getting off the Boat, Misguided Sisters, Christie keeps playing over and over in my head. The entire show keeps playing OVER and OVER in my head!”

–Julie Kevan, Perth, ON

“I wish there was a CD of the music from the play….I probably would wear the CD out from over use.”

–Tammy Austin, Tweed, ON

“Thanks to all for bring this show to our town. Great music, wonderful acting, love you guys. Til next time.”

EXERT FROM THE WANDERED BLOG: “The moment we entered the Tweed Pavilion you could feel It, the sense of anticipation. It was visible on the faces of the audience and seemed to hang in the air, floating in and around the vintage Edison lights hanging from the rafters. As we found our seats, excited chatter and authentic fiddle music filled the warm, summer air. By the second verse of the first song, my right foot couldn’t control itself for another bar. That’s where the toe tapping, knee slapping and shoulder swaying began, and it didn’t stop until the final note rang out into the night. It was lively, fresh, sweet, funny and oh so impressive; it was hands down the most memorable theatre performance I have seen to date. Not that you should need any – the raving reviews really speak for themselves – but here are three reasons why you should scoop up the last tickets for the final performance:

1. The Storytelling: Each character, each set, each line and each song was meticulously crafted to weave together the rich and interesting history of beautiful Hastings County, which I am lucky to call home. From the Loyalist and Rebel feud to Irish immigration, and from the first discovery of gold to the first agriculture fair, the script references the unique events that have shaped the evolution of Hastings County.

2. The Musicianship: Each of the cast members played one, if not multiple, instruments and together they performed the score to all of the pieces. Live! Not only did they perform the pieces, but cast members also composed them. The lyrics were raw and the harmonies were layered making for a very powerful delivery of the story.

3. The Humour: I honestly have not laughed that hard in quite some time. While the entire play is comical and light, there is one character in particular (I won’t give anything away) that is beyond hilarious. The facial expressions, the gestures, the persona; all of it is executed with absolute perfection!

So go, now, quickly. The last tickets for tonight’s closing show have your name on it.”

-The Wanderer, Ontario’s Highlands Tourism

We can’t thank the community enough for getting behind this project, and we are so excited for it’s future!!! Don’t miss this incredible, all original Canadian Musical, celebrating the stories, legends and fables of Hastings County. See you at the show!

HASTINGS! A NEW MUSICAL!

This season, join us at the Tweed Pavilion for a brand new musical retelling of the history of our county, HASTINGS! A NEW MUSICAL! This irreverent, foot stomping, laugh out loud new show features a stellar cast of eight actor musicians, and brand new music from some of Canada’s top composers. We need your support for this evening of music, comedy and mayhem as we relive the founding of this beautiful region, and experience our history first hand. HASTINGS is sure to be the entertainment highlight of the 2017 season, taking place on a beautiful new stage at the historic Tweed pavilion as part of the Canada 150 celebrations!

“When I walked into the Arts Centre I knew what to expect, I knew how good the show was going to be, and yet as I walked out of the centre, I was amazed just how far the musical surpassed my very high expectations.”

-Lacy Meeks, The Tweed News

WHY WE NEED YOU

After nine seasons of successfully creating original Canadian Musical Theatre for our audience, we want to take the next step in our development and we are thrilled to be producing our biggest musical to date! The added costs of this project include additional cast, the creation of a new stage for the pavilion, additional instrument rentals, commisions for original music, additional sound and lighting equipment, and more! At Tweed & Company we strive to make theatre affordable and accesible for all, and pride ourselves on offering the lowest ticket prices for professional theatre in the country. So in order to continue producing bigger and better productions, and in order to bring more and more people into our beautiful community to experience all we have to offer, we need a small influx of funds to continue our growth.

We want you to feel as much a part of our community as we feel of yours, so please join us in this unique opoortunity to contribute first hand to the arts and culture of your community, and be a part of the magic! We aren’t asking for a few big donations, we would be much more thrilled if in the true spirit of crowdfunding, hundreds of people donated a small amount to help make this production a reality.

“How do I know that two hours of theatre can be uplifting, humorous, energetic, educational and thought provoking? Easy – I have seen the latest work produced by Tweed & Company Theatre.”

-Andrew Willett, Theatre Aficionado

WHERE WILL THE MONEY GO?

$2000: Help to cover the costs of a larger cast

$1000: Marketing & Promoting our increased number of performances

$750: Songwriting Commissions

$500: Additional Sound & Lighting Equipment

$500: Building the Unique Stage for the Pavilion

$250: Additional Instrument Rentals

“It is worth the drive to Tweed for the night to see this play and theatre fans can consider themselves lucky that Tim Porter brought this story to our area.”

-InQuinte.ca

ABOUT TWEED & CO

TWEED & COMPANY Theatre is a creator and producer of Original Canadian Musical Theatre, as well as quality professional grassroots regional theatre. The company formerly known as IANA Theatre has been around since the fall of 2009, and has produced three large scale original Canadian musicals, as well as countless other Canadian and international productions. Tweed & Co is based out of the Marble Arts Centre in Tweed, ON, but also produces in Toronto, and has toured its productions around the province.

“The plays Director, Tim Porter, is leading a masterful group of experienced, talented performers, and the quality of Mr. Porter’s productions are always top-notch. I have greatly enjoyed attending a number of the plays Mr. Porter has directed, and I am confident that this production will be just as entertaining. Hastings County has a rich, diverse history, and I am looking forward to seeing our story told on stage this summer.”

-Mike Bossio, MP, Hastings-Lennox & Addington

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

We are so thankful for every donation, big or small. Thank you for helping us to reach our goal! And now that you have supported the show, make sure to come and see it! We are incredibly proud of this production, and can’t wait to share it with the world. Get your tickets today at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2723927.

You could also help our cause by sharing the link to this crowdfunding campaign on all of your social media platforms, emailing it to friends, texting, calling, any way that you can help us spread the word! Every dollar we raise makes a huge difference in being able to produce high quality original Canadian Musical Theatre in Hastings County, and in helping us increase our tourism and local attendance!

“With young talent like this, the future of Canadian theatre is in good hands.”

2017 is well underway, and we here at Tweed & Company are gearing up for our biggest production ever, HASTINGS: A New Musical! HASTINGS is a laugh out loud, stomp your foot, irreverent retelling of the history, fables and legends of our home, Hastings County. This new musical creation is being written by a team of Canada’s top composers, as well as our Tweed & Company Ensemble. Featuring a stellar cast of 9 musical performers, this talented group sing, dance, act, and play all of the instruments in the production, creating a truly unique and exciting experience for our entire audience.

We invite you to join us for an evening of song, celebration and dance, as HASTINGS takes the stage this June/July at the historic Pavilion in Tweed’s Memorial Park. Come and experience the rich history and culture that our area has to offer, told as you’ve never seen it before! Have you lived the County Gold Rush? Feared the Pirate of the St. Lawrence? Heard noted local Author Susanna Moodie speculate and exaggerate on her life in the clearings? Come and encounter all of this and more in what is sure to be the entertainment highlight of the season. And it’s all in celebration of Canada 150!

While there will be many more sneak peaks and special features on the show itself and the progress of the production in the coming months, we currently want to fill you in on the incredible group of people who will be bringing this project to life! We have assembled one of our largest and strongest groups of professional performers to date, with a bit of local talent in the mix as well, to create this thoroughly entertaining and awe inspiring production.

Read on below to see which of your returning favourites are back, see the incredible talent of our new company members, and check out the local talent that will be gracing our new stage at the pavilion! We are also thrilled to be working with some of the country’s best composers on this project, and can’t wait to share their incredible music with our audience. Please read on below to hear all about our incredibly talented cast and composers!

COMPOSERS:

Tricia Black – Composer/Co-Writer/Cast

James King – Composer/Cast

Andre Morin – Composer

Trevor Patt – Composer

Joseph Tritt – Composer

TRICIA BLACK: (ALSO IN CAST)

Tricia Black is an actor, singer, and musician. Tricia can be seen performing at Bad Dog Theatre in Kinsey Fail, Filthy & SONGBUSTER. She is also a member of one of the oldest improv sketch troupes in Toronto, The Sketchersons, performing a brand new weekly sketch show every week. Tricia has studied improvisation and musical improvisation at Second City Chicago, Toronto and iO Chicago. She is also the Artistic Producer of Tweed and Company Theatre, producing original Canadian theatre.

JAMES KING: (ALSO IN CAST)

James King is a multi-faceted artist who hails from North Augusta, Ontario. As an actor he has appeared with a variety of companies across the province including: Godspell, Aleck Bell, All You Need Is Love, The Times They Are A-Changing(Tweed & Co.), Taming of the Shrew, Measure For Measure(St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival), Laura Secord, All For Beaver Hats(Festival Players of Prince Edward County). Based in Toronto, he has appeared in: Into The Woods, Jesus Christ Superstar(Hart House), Commencement(Toronto Fringe) and has been a featured artist in The Manhattan Concert Series at Soulpepper Theatre. He also is a singer/songwriter and has released his first EP this year “Where Will You Take Me” and performs regularly with his band all over the city. James is delighted to return to Tweed. It is always a pleasure to perform and see all the fantastic friends he has made here. “Buy the ticket -take the ride” -HST.

TREVOR PATT:

Trevor Patt is so excited to be working on his first show with Tweed & Co. Theatre! Trevor is an actor, musician and writer, with a deep love for creating new music and telling Canadian stories. He’s currently in his second season as an actor at the Stratford Festival performing in Guys and Dolls and HMS Pinafore. Trevor has been fortunate to work across Canada with many wonderful theatre companies including the Charlottetown Festival, the Grand Theatre, the Citadel Theatre, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Drayton Entertainment, Rainbow Stage, Theatre Aquarius, and others. He sends all his love and thanks to Tim, Andre, the Talent House, Jade, and his family.

JOSEPH TRITT:

Last season’s intern musical director at Shaw, and Sound Designer for this season’s The Madness of King George, Joseph is also an alumnus of Rainbow Stage’s Creative Mentorship Program and took to the podium as music Director/conductor for recent shows The Producers, and Les Miserables, as well as Billy Elliott and Cabaret at RMTC. Selected music directing credits: Shrek (Theatre Sheridan), A Man of No Importance and Follies (Dry Cold), Rooms: A Rock Romance (Winnipeg Studio Theatre) and Altar Boyz (Prairie Theatre Exchange). Training includes Manhattan School of Music and the University of Manitoba. This year will see him MDing at Drayton Entertainment and the Grand Theatre. When not Musical Directing he can be found Composing, arranging and Sound Designing for companies across the country.

ANDRE MORIN:

Originally from Madoc, Andre has been a frequent composer/arranger for Tweed & Company, and has spent the past several seasons at the Stratford Festival honing those skills. He recently played Edmund in The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe, Peter Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank, Diggory in She Stoops to Conquer, Oedipus Rex, Motel in Fiddler on the Roof, Mother Courage and Her Children, King John, Romeo & Juliet. Elsewhere he has performed as Fenton in the Merry Wives of Windsor,and in Man of La Mancha (Theatre By The Bay). Henry in Next to Normal (Clearwater Theatre), The Full Monty (Moonpath Productions). He is a graduate of the George Brown theatre School and Birmingham Conservatory at the Stratford Festival. He also played Aleck Bell in Aleck Bell, as well as creating the musical arrangements for that production, and he is the composer and arranger for Tweed: The Musical.

CAST:

Tricia Black – Composer/Co-Writer/Cast

Rachel Clark – Cast/Choreographer/Composer

Rebecca Guilderson – Cast

MICHAEL COLIN JONES – Chris Lesage, Mr. Marlin, Dave
Michael Colin is jazzed to be back with Tweed & Company workshopping this fun, new musical romp through the legend of the Loup Garou. Previous credits include Hastings! A New Musical, The Times They Are A Changin’, I’ll Fly Away, Stalkyard Hurts, Godspell (Tweed & Co.), Avenue Q, The Rocky Horror Show, The Little Mermaid, Joseph…, Next To Normal, RENT (Lower Ossington Theatre). Stay tuned for 2018 Toronto Cabaret Dates! @mcolinjones

James King – Composer/Cast

Mike Lee – Cast

Joel MacMeekin – Co-Writer/Cast

Amy Marie Wallace – Cast/Costume Design

Mark Lesage – Cast

TRICIA BLACK: (BIO IN COMPOSERS ABOVE)

RACHEL CLARK:

Tweed & Co: Debut. Credits Include Mamma Mia! (Ensemble/Sophie US – Theatre Aquarius, Western Canada Theatre) Aladdin: The Panto, Anne of Green Gables, The Music Man, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan: The Panto, Annie, 9 to 5 The Musical, Hairspray (Drayton Entertainment), Monty Python’s Spamalot (Theatre Aquarius). Travelling from Waterloo Ontario, Rachel is thrilled to be performing in beautiful Tweed in a creative and historic new musical! After graduating from Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Rachel entertained as a singer/dancer on board cruise ships. Living out her other passion, Rachel has traveled to Kenya five times to volunteer with impoverished children, and is now a director for Kenyan Kids Foundation Canada. She recently became a yoga instructor and also works as a care giver for handicapped adults. www.lifeofrachel.com

REBECCA GUILDERSON:

Becca is a Nova Scotia native excited to adventure in Ontario! She is an actor, singer, musician who spends most of her time working in Halifax. She attended Mount Allison University where she studied Opera. Becca also spends lots of her time volunteering with the Canadian Improv Games. Recent credits include Marion in The Music Man, Baker’s Wife in Into The Woods (QAAW), Anne in Anne and Gilbert (Stage Prophets), Wendla in Spring Awakening, Sally in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (Side By Side), Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (SBTS), Suzy in The Marvelous Wonderettes (Chester Playhouse), Cathy in The Last Five Years (Saints Alive).

MICHAEL COLIN JONES:

Michael, a Graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts, is stoked to be back in Tweed again with this incredible company! Previous credits include: I’ll Fly Away, The Times They Are A Changin’ (Tweed & Co.), Joseph… Dreamcoat, The Rocky Horror Show, Next To Normal, Avenue Q, RENT (LOT), Godspell, Stalkyard Hurts (IANA Theatre Co.), Crazy For You, The Oddyssey, Wicked, Kiss Me, Kate (CCPA), Little Women, Les Mis: School Edition (Neptune Theatre School). Huge thanks go out to the entire cast and team. Enjoy the show! @mcolinjones

JAMES KING: (BIO IN COMPOSERS ABOVE)

MIKE LEE:

Mike Lee is thrilled and honoured to again be working with Tweed & Co! Born and based in Toronto, Mike is a multi-instrumentalist and improviser. He majored in classical music in the Claude Watson Arts Program and has trained extensively in Improv comedy at The Second City Training Centre and Bad Dog Theatre, including Musical Improv, BeatProv, and the inaugural Bob Curry Fellowship. He can also be seem drumming with James R. King & The Midnight Hours. Previous productions with Tweed & Co. include The Times They Are a Changin, and Stalkyard Hurts.

MARK LESAGE:

Mark Lesage is a local actor who can’t believe his good fortune to have been invited to work with Tweed & Co. Theatre. “Honestly, I have been in awe of Tim and his exceptionally high calibre troupe for a long time now. I expect to learn a lot.” Mark brings to the stage his many talents and years of varied life experiences. A past participant with the Tweed National Theatre, Mark is currently involved with the Marble Arts Players (Love Letters and his own production, Spaceship Derp). Other recent performances have included On Golden Pond (Belleville Theatre Guild) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Village Theatre). You can also catch Mark at Tweed’s poetry event, First Tuesday Muse, or as a musician with the Charlie Bird Band. His greatest acting ambition is to be a James Brown tribute artist.

JOEL MACMEEKIN:

This is Joel’s 9th year working with our theatre company and he couldn’t be happier. Some of Joel’s best roles on our stage are, the peaceful Priest in Tweed: The Musical, loveable Maverick in I’ll Fly Away, and of course every celebrity impersonation possible, including “early years” Cher in All You Need Is Love. Joel has toured across Canada more times than he can count with Koba Family Entertainment bringing live theatre to children and has written and starred in his own work in Toronto’s Downtown Theatre scene. Get ready to clap your feet and stomp your hands because we got a show to do! We hope you love Hastings: The Musical as much as we do.

AMY MARIE WALLACE:

Amy Marie Wallace is a Toronto based Actor and Musician. Selected Theatre Credits include Salt Water Moon (Tweed and Co.), Heart of Steel (NSTF/Aim For the Tangent), The Seance with Nicholas Wallace (TPM), Centre of the Universe (Theatre Lab), Or Be Eaten (Silent Protagonist). Selected Film/TV credits include Poor Agnes (Splice Films), 11.22.63 (Hulu/Bad Robot), Diaphony (Cinematoscape), Woods (Km4 Prod.) Amy is a graduate of The George Brown Theatre Program and a classically trained violinist with a Bachelors Honours degree in Music from Wilfrid Laurier University. She also dabbles in Design. As Costume Designer, Peter Pan (Bad Hats Brewery Tour), Heart of Steel (NSTF), and The Wakowski Bros. (Aim for the Tangent/Won Best of Fringe.)

CREATIVE TEAM:

Rachel Clark – Cast/Choreographer/Composer

Emily Mewett – Stage Manager

Tim Porter – Director/Co-Writer

Amy Marie Wallace – Cast/Costume Design

DIRECTED BY TIM PORTER:

Tim Porter is a musical theatre performer, director, writer and producer, and is the founding Artistic Director of Tweed & Company Theatre. As a performer he has travelled extensively across North America, spending six seasons with award winning Drayton Entertainment, six seasons with the Stirling Festival Theatre, appearing in the world premiere productions of Cannibal and Evil Dead in Toronto, and several international tours as Rooney Doodle in The Doodlebops. He is also the author and director of the award winning TWEED: A New Canadian Musical (Broadwayworld Best Independent Production), co-writer and director of Aleck Bell (Stirling Festival, Brockville Arts Centre, Tweed & Co), and director of Stalkyard Hurts(2015 Toronto Fringe Fave). He has also taught at several institutions including St. Lawrence College, The Stirling Festival Theatre, and the Quinte Ballet School. Currently appearing in the world premiere production of Marathon of Hope: The Terry Fox Story at Drayton Entertainment, Tim is an advocate for the creation and incubation of Original Canadian Musical Theatre, and has helped to create and produce countless original works. He was also a nominee for the 2012 premier’s award of Ontario for his work with Tweed & Company, and he sits on the Hastings County Cultural Roundtable.

What an exciting team! We honestly can’t wait to share this beautiful new production with you, and hope that you will all join us this summer for HASTINGS! A New Musical at the Tweed Pavilion, June 28th to July 7. Tickets are available now, so book yours today! Available at the Tweed News, or online at www.tweedandcompany.com. Also, don’t miss THE DARK NIGHT CABARET July 8th at 8 PM at the Marble Arts Centre, as this incredible group is joined by some local talent to perform all of their favourite songs, dances and more! And stay tuned this weekend for the announcement of our new crowdfunding campaign, and be a part of the magic of live theatre. See you at the show!